Library of Congress. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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Memorial Kecord 



NEW-YORK BRANCH 



jntteir States jy|rattait Somntisskt. 



UNDER THE DIRECTION" 



EXEOUTIYE COMMITTEE. 



NEW-YORK : 
JOHN A. GRAY & GREEN, PEINTERS, Nos. 16 and 18 JACOB STREET. 

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NATHAN BISHOP, LL.D., 

CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE CUMMITTEIC 

Ol- THE 
TO W}|0«k 

WISE, PRACTICAL AND EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATION 

OF ITS AFFAIRS, 

.„. SUCCESS AND USEFULNESS OP THIS BRANCH OF THE CO^.^HSS.ON AUE, 

UNDER GOD, SO LARGELY DUE, 

MEMORIAL RECORD 

IS 

MOST ^irFK.CTIO^'.VXEI.V I^SCI^IBKO 

H~1S A SSOCIA TES 

OK THE COMMITTEE. 



The following brief Record has been prepared at the request and under 
the direction of the Executive Committee of the New-York Branch of the 
Christian Commission. 

It has not been the object of the compiler to give a history of this 
Branch of the Commission, but to collect and group together some of the 
more important facts and features of the work. 

While the war was waging, and the Commission was in full operation, 
nearly every one throughout the entire community became familiar with it. 
But at a period of such wonderful activities and rapid progress, when men 
live almost exclusively in the present and the future, the past, however full 
of incident and instruction, quickly fades from the public mind, and is buried 
in oblivion. 

As the Christian Commission, in its origin and operation, is something 
unique and without a parallel; and, as it impressively illustrates the power 
and comprehensive spirit of the Gospel of the Saviour, it ought not to be 
forgotten, but should be held in perpetual and grateful remembrance. 

It aifords one of the most powerful and conclusive arguments in favor 
of the divine nature, and of the humanizing, alleviating, comforting, and 
saving influences of Christianity which history records. 

To keep alive, therefore, with the present generation, the name and 
doings of this Mission of Mercy, and to hand the same to those who shall 
come after, is the chief purpose of this Memorial Volume. 

Nkw-York, January, ISOfi. 



THE 



U. S. Christian Commission. 



On tlie sixteenth day of November, 1861, there was assembled in 
one of the rooms of the American Bible Society in the city of New- 
York, a Convention of Delegates from various Young Men's Christ- 
ian Associations throughout the countrj^ These representatives had 
come together under circumstances of peculiar interest. A great 
civil war was waging. Thousands of the young men of the land 
were already in camp, and thousands more hastening to join their 
comrades on the tented field. Every city, town, and hamlet 
sounded with the notes of war. ISTever was a great people more 
thoroughly aroused and more intensely engaged in preparing for 
the mighty conflict. All classes and conditions of society were 
alike moved by a common impulse. The country's call was heard 
through the land, aud from every part there was a prompt and 
hearty response. Every profession and calling contributed its 
bravest and its best. From the schools of theology, from the 
halls of literature and science, from the counting-house, the work- 
shop, and the farm — in fine, from every walk of life — there came 
forth a mighty host, the pride and flower of every family and 
every circle, ready to peril their fortunes and their lives, that they 



M fflemotiial Kecoi;tl of the "U. Ir. Btjanch 



miglit rescue tlie country from the impeuding clanger. It was 
truly a sublime spectacle ! But it was an occasion of tlie deepest 
solemnity. A nation's existence was at stake, and fearful sacrifices 
must be made. 

These multitudes were leaving their homes, the circles in 
which they bad lived and moved, the hallowed associations of 
youth and early manhood, and were rushing into untried scenes 
of danger and trial. Many would meet an early death ; many 
would be thrown into hospitals, to suffer and linger through weari- 
some weeks and months ; many would forget their early religious 
instructions and fall before the power of evil ; and all would be 
tempted and tried as never before. This new and strange state of 
things appealed, and not in vain, to the deeper feelings and sym- 
pathies of our common nature. Something must be done. These 
men must be cared for. It was impossible for the Government, in 
the circumstances, to do more than provide for the common neces- 
sities of those in its service. The number of chaplains was very 
limited. They were necessarily restricted in their labors, and 
could not possibly minister to these multitudes gathering from all 
parts of the land. Nor was it in the power of the Government 
at once to meet the wants of the increasing thousands of the sick 
and wounded. After doing all that any government could do, 
there was still a great lack. To supply this, some other agency 
or agencies must be employed. 

The first to respond to this demand were the Young Men's 
Christian Associations, They 'formed their Army Committees, 
and were promptly at work doing what they could. Prominent 
in these early movements was Colonel Yiucent Colycr, of the city 
of New- York. He relinquished for a time a lucrative profession, 
and devoted himself to tlie troops passing through the cit}^, and 
also visited the seat of war, and labored there. 



the '(ft. ^. ^hiiistian Commission. 



The following extracts from a report of Colonel Colj^er, made 
to the New- York and Brooklyn Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tions, and to other parties, are particularly interesting, as throwing 
light upon the origin of the Christian Commission : 

" Our work commenced with the arrival of the Sixth Massachu- 
setts Regiment of Volunteers in New- York, on their way to defend 
the Capital, April 18, 1861, the day before the attempted massacre 
in Baltimore. Next day we visited the Seventh Regiment, National 
Guard ; and so on for three months we continued to visit, hold 
meetings for prayer, singing, and exhortation, distributing tracts, 
Testaments, hymn-books, to the regiments in and about, or passing 
through New-York City, up to the twenty-second of July, the day 
of the news of the battle of Bull Run. 

" Many a camp in the vicinity of New- York — at Elm Park, East 
New-York, Bergen Point, Staten Island, Disbrow's, and the Park 
Barracks — were found places full of joy and rich with the presence 
of the Saviour, by the Army Committee of the New- York Young 
Men's Christian Association, during those three first months of the 
commencement of this war for the maintenance of our nationality. 

" Immediately on the receipt of the news of the battle of Bull 
Run, iu company with Mr. Frank W. Ballard I left for that new 
field of duty. I continiicd at Washington, assisted, for over three 
weeks, by Rev. Franklin S. Rising, P. Harwood Vernon, Dr. 
Winchell, and Noble Heath, Jr., and afterward alone for six 
months, as Agent of the New-York Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciation. I visited the hospitals at Washington, Georgetown, and 
Alexandria, and the regimental hospitals in the camps, and held 
constant daily intercourse with the chaplains at my office and in 
their camps, and was received with favor almost everywhere. 

" The Government alForded me every encouragement, giving me 
at first a free pass on the railroads, and afterward privilege to visit 
every portion of the army of the IJnited States, and if the enemy 
would permit it, even to go theougii our lines, and visit our sick 
and wounded in the rebel hospitals and prisons, the following order 
being my authority : 



10 M ftkmomal Becoijd of the B. y. Btianch 



" 'Headquarters of the Army, ) 

WASHKfGTOX, Alio-. 30, 1861. f 

" 'Mr. Vincent Colycr, of the Army Committee of the New-York 
Young Men's Christian Association, in the prosecution of his benev- 
olent hibors in the camps and hospitals, will be permitted to pass 
through the United States lines at all times, and is commended to 
the courtesy of the troops. 

" ' By command. Wixfield Scott. 

" '11, Vax Rensselaer, Colonel's Aid-de-Camjx' 

"I soon realized 'the harvest truly was great, but the laborers 
few,' and wrote the following letter: 

" ' Washingtoi^ City, D. C, Oct. 1, 1861. 

" 'Dear Sir : Having been occupied for these last ten weeks in 
the army, at Washington, as re^n-esentative of the New- York Asso- 
ciation, the necessity for a much more extended organization, in 
order to meet, even approximately, the Christian wants of the sol- 
dier, has so impressed itself upon me, that I can not avoid writing 
to you for aid. I wish to ask the Committee of Avhich you are the 
honored Secretary, to earnestly consider the propriety of calling 
a general convention, at some central place, at the earliest practi- 
cable day, to consider the spiritual Avants of the young men of our 
army, in order that the same may be provided for by the appoint- 
ing of a ' Christian Commission,' whose duty it shall be to take 
entire charge of this work. 

" ' The Government has now over two hundred and fifty thou- 
sand men enlisted, the fiir greater majority of whom are young 
men, and not a few of them members of our Association. These 
young men are risking their lives for their country, exposed to con- 
stant hardships, and subjected to all the temptations and debasing 
influences of camp life. They are liable to sickness and prolonged 
suffering from wounds, in hospital, and to sudden death upon the 
battle-field. To meet the great Avants of these young men, under 
circumstances Avhich so urgently call upon our Christian sympa- 
thies and gratitude, (for they are assembled in defense of our homes, 



r$i the tjl. ^. (^hr^istian (Commission. 11 



our rights, unci our Governincnt,) no adequate exertion has yet 
been made. . . . 

" ' It will be seen, then, that I do not ask you try an experiment, 
but to continue and enlarge a work wdiich is already practically 
under way and successfully working, but which has now grown so 
large, that we can not do better than resign it into hands capable 
of giving it the dimensions it deserves, and I trust will receive from 
you. I need not urge the necessity of prompt as well as decisive 
action ; for it must be apparent to every one, that whatever is done 
effectively in this army work must be done qiiickhj. At any mo- 
ment here a terrible battle may take place, and all along our lines, 
(in the West particularly,) engagements are daily occurring ; be- 
sides, the troops are continually in motion, and the habits of the 
men are forming daily, either for good or evil. 

" ' The work is so extensive and needs such large resources, that 
single associations can do but little ; and for them to act indepen- 
dently of each other, is to increase vastly the expenses, while the 
labor accomplished will be less ; and while some sections will 
receive too much attention, others will be comparatively ne- 
glected. . . . 

" ' I therefore leave the matter in your hands, and pray that a 
convention of all the Young Men's Christian Associations of the 
loyal States may be called at an early day. 

" ' "With Christian esteem, fraternally yours, 

" ' Vl]S:CEXT COLYER, 
" ' Chairman Committee on Correspondence with Convention Xew-Yorli Y. M. C. A.' 

" ' To James Grant, Esq., Secretary of the Committee for calling 
a Convention of the Young Men's Christian Associations of the 
United /States, Philadelphia, Pa : 

" ' Having been continuously at this centre, with abundant oppor- 
tunities of observation, and feeling strongly impressed with the 
necessity of united and energetic action in this great work, I 
heartily concur in the proposition presented by Brother Colyer, 
with the view of securing such concerted action. 

" ' M. H. Miller, _ 
" ' President Washinirton Citv Youn" Men's Christian Association.' " 



12 M mmmM Becord of the % l\ Branch 



The letter of Colonel Coljer, of which extracts are given above, 
directed attention to the necessity of some more comprehensive 
organization, and, together with the action of the Young Men's 
Christian Association, led to the formation of the Christian Com- 
mission, one of the grandest and noblest agencies for minister* 
ing to the temporal and spiritual wants of the soldier and sailor 
the world has ever known. All honor to the Christian young 
men who, by their prayers and efforts, inaugurated this heaven- 
born Mission of Mercy ! 

At the Convention above named, the subject which claimed and 
received special attention, Avas the temporal relief and spiritual 
good of the officers and men composing the army and navy of the 
United States. After much discussion and deliberation, it was 
resolved to organize an agency, to be styled " the United States 
Christian Commission." 

Such, briefly, was the origin of an association whose wonderful 
career of usefulness confers honor upon the country which gave it 
birth, commands the respect and reverence of every thoughtful 
mind, and illustrates the power of a living Gospel. In all the 
world, through all its history, there is no parallel to it. It stands 
alone. There let it stand, and to the generations to come let it 
testify to the comprehensive and practical Christianity of this land 
and of this people. 

The following persons were appointed members of the Commis- 
sion : Greorge H. Stuart, Esq., Philadelj^hia ; the Kev. Eollin H. 
Neale, D.D., Boston ; Charles Demond, Esq., Boston ; John P. 
Crozer, Esq., Philadelphia ; Bishop E. S. Janes, New- York ; the 
Eev. M. L. R P. Thompson, D.D., Cincinnati ; Hon. B. E. Man- 
ierre, New- York ; Colonel Clinton B. Fisk, St. Louis ; the Eev. 
Benjamin C. Cutler, D.D., Brooklyn ; John Y. Farwell, Esq., 



X^t the ^. ^, (fhtiistian Commission. 13 



Chicago ; Mitcliell H. Miller, Esq., Washington ; John D. Hill, 
M.D., Buffalo. 

At an early daj^ the Commission met in the city of Washington, 
and organized by appointing George H. Stuart, Esq., Chairman ; 
Hon, B, F. Manierre, Treasurer; Eev. A. M. Morrison, Secretary; 
and Greorge H. Stuart, Bishop Janes, Dr. Cutler, Charles Demond, 
and B. F. Manierre an Executive Committee. 

A plan of operations was adopted, and the work of tlie Commis- 
sion was commenced. From the origin of the Commission to its 
close, it had the warm approbation of the General Government, 
and received every possible facility for carrying on its operations. 
At first the Commission was located in the city of New- York, 
Daring the year the Hon. B, F. Manierre and the Rev. Dr. Cutler 
resigned, and their places were filled by the appointment of Jay 
Cooke, Esq., Philadelphia, and the Rev. James Eells, D.D., of 
Brooklyn. Mr. Cooke and Mr. Crozer were added to the Execu- 
tive Committee. Joseph Patterson, Esq., of Philadelphia, was 
appointed Treasurer. The Rev. Mr. Morrison, after having served 
gratuitously and effectively as Secretary for several months, re- 
signed, and the Rev. W. E. Boardman was elected to fill his place. 
Before the end of the year the Commission was removed to the 
city of Philadelphia, where it remained till the close of its work. 

It is no part of the plan of this work to give a history of the 
general Commission, but only a brief record of the New-York 
Branch. It seemed proper, however, to give this statement of the 
organization and permanent location of the Parent Association. 



14 ^ ftiemoi'iial Becoi|d of the 1i ¥. Bitanch 



THE ]^EW-TORK BRAI^^rOH 



U. S. Christian Commission 



Early in the liistory of tlie General Commission, it was discov- 
ered that a large part of its work would have to be reached by 
means of the Government ships leaving the port of JSTew-York. 
In no other way could it carry on its operations on the South- 
Atlantic coast, along the Gulf, and upon the Lower Mississippi. 
To meet this necessitj-, it was deemed advisable to create a sepa- 
rate organization, to be located in the city of New-York, whicli 
would be auxihary to the parent Commission, in sympathy and co- 
operation, but to which a distinct field of labor would be assigned, 
and also a limited field from which to draw supplies. Accordingly, 
on the eighth day of December, 1862, the New- York Branch of 
the Christian Commission was formed by the ajDpointment of the 
following gentlemen as a General Board of Management : 

Chairman, 
WILLI A 31 E. DODGE. 

Vice-Chairman, 
FREDERICK G. FOSTER. 

Treasurer, 
JAMES M. BRO WN. 

Secretary, 
Rev, RUSSELL S. COOK. 



X$t the '(ft $. Christian Commission. 15 



OENERAU BOARD OF MANAGEMENT. 

JOHN T. JOHNSTOX, ARCHIBALD RUSSELL, 

HENRY K. BULL, Rev. DAVID TERRY, 

DAVID HOADLEY, Hox. L. B WOODRUFF, 

JONATHAN STURGES, MORRIS K. JESSUP, 

NATHAN BISHOP, LL.D., THOMAS C. DOREMUS, 

OLIVER BRONSON, M.D., JAMES C. HOLDEN, 

Rev. H. dyer, D.D., D. WILLIS JAMES, 

Rev. JOSEPH II. HOLDICH, D.D., SMITH SHELDON, 

SALEM H. WALES, D. G. ELLIOTT, M.D., 

JAMES W. BEEKMAN, S. B. CALDWELL, 

STEPHEN CUTTER, WALTER S. GRIFFITH. 

The General Board elected the following as the 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 
NATHAN BISHOP, ARCHIBALD RUSSELL, 

F. G. FOSTER, H. DYER, 

S. II. WALES, J. T. JOHNSTON, 

MORRIS K. JESSUP, ' JAMES M. BROWN. 

For systematizing and facilitating the work of the Commission, the following 
Standing Committees were appointed : 

STANOmC COMMtTTEE$. 

On Finance. 
JOHN T. JOHNSTON, JAMES M. BROWN, 

HENRY K. BULL, DAVID HOADLEY, 

JONATHAN STITRGES. 

On Publication. 
OLIVER BRONSON, RUSSELL S. COOK, 

H. DYER, ^^ JOSEPH H. HOLDICH. 

On Delegates. 
ARCHIBALD RUSSELL, NATHAN BISHOP, 

DAVID TERRY, L. B. WOODRUFF, 

SIVHTH SHELDON. 

On Stores. 
M. K JESSUP, T. C. DOREMUS, 

JAMES C. HOLDEN, D. WILLIS JAMES. 

On Public Meetings. 
H. DYER, F. G. FOSTER, 

M. K. JESSUP, S. H. WALES, 

D. WILLIS JAMES, JAMES C. HOLDEN, 

STEPHEN CUTTER. 

On Navy, Hospitals, and Forts. 
SALEM H. WALES, JAMES W. BEEKMAN, 

STEPHEN CUTTER, S. B. CALDWELL, 

WALTER S. GRIFFITH. 

Such substantially were the Committees as they were finally organized. 



16 c^ ftilemor^ial Bccoijd of the % >'. 53i|ancU 



When the Long Island and Brooklyn auxiliary was established, 
Messrs, Caldwell and Griffith withdrew from the New- York Com- 
mittee, where they had rendered most efficient services. 

By an arrangement with the Central Commission, there was as- 
signed to the Kew-York Branch the following field of operations : 

1. The vessels of war fitted out in the harbor of New- York, 
with their transports and the squadrons receiving supplies, making 
nearly the whole naval force of the country. ' 

2. The forts, camps, naval and military hospitals in New-York 
and its vicinity. 

8. The armies and miUtary and naval hospitals along the South- 
Atlantic coast, at the mouth of the Chesapeake, in the sounds of 
North-Carolina, the islands of South-Carolina and Greorgia, the 
mainland and islands of Florida and Alabama, and within the 
military department of the Gulf of Mexico. 

The ao'greo-ate number of sailors and soldiers embraced within 
these limits was estimated at about one fourth of the war forces of 
the country, of whom not far from one tenth were in hospitals. 
The field, as at last defined, from which this branch of the Com- 
mission was to obtain supplies of funds and stores, embraced the 
city of New- York, the towns on the Hudson below Albany, East- 
ern New-Jersey, and Connecticut. Such were the fields upon 
which the Commission was to operate. 

The Executive Committee, upon whom was devolved the re- 
sponsibility of carrying out the plans of the General Board, imme- 
diately took measures to call public attention to the necessities of 
the work which had been assigned to them. Men, money, and 
stores were in pressing demand. It was all-important that these 
claims should be laid before the churches of the city and neighbor- 
hood, without delay. Accordingly, a public meeting of the clergy 
was called. This meeting took place in Clinton Hall, on the 



^i the '(^. ^. (^htjistian Commission. 17 



twenty-eighth of January, 1863. The Eev. William Adams, D.D., 
was called to the chair, and the Eev. John Cotton Smith, D.D., 
acted as Secretary. After a statement of the objects of the meet- 
ing by the Chairman and Secretary of the Commission, and by the 
Eev. Alexander Eeed, of Pennsylvania, a returned delegate, a 
Committee was appointed, consisting of Eev. Drs. Williams, Hitch- 
cock, Ilutton, Iloldich, Taylor, and Smith, to draw up resolutions 
embodying the sense of the meeting. 

After a brief interval, the Eev. Dr. Williams, on behalf of the 
Committee, presented the following resolutions, which were unan- 
imously adopted : 

" Hesolved, That the aim and labors of the Christian Commission 
eminently commend themselves to the patriotism and Cliristianity 
of our country ; and that engaged as the nation now is, in a fearful 
strife for the vindication and perpetuity of its own unity and life, 
the brave men of our army and navy, who have in this behalf 
' taken their lives in their hands,' are, when beaten down by ex- 
haustion, disease, or battle, or when about to peril themselves 'on 
the high places of the field,' the last class whom a Christian nation 
should leave anywhere, or in any degree to complain : ' No man 
caretli for my soul.' 

^* Hesolved, That while we gratefully recognize the provision 
made by the Government for chaplaincies, and its acknoAvledgment 
of the rights of the Christian Sabbath, and while Ave admire and 
sustain the extended and effective labors of the Sanitary Commis- 
sion, all such action remains imperfect and ineJSective, except as 
sustained and supplemented by the churches ; that our country 
has in its past history been summoned by the providence of God, 
to prove before other people of the earth Iiow a nation with- 
out standing armies might uphold order and security, and how 
churches without a state endowment might liberally maintain and 
widely diffuse religion ; and that, in the new emergencies of this 
vast war, God calls us to the yet loftier task of proving before all 
gainsayers how an improvised army and an improvised navy may 
2 



18 M ft^emoi|ial Hecoijd of the li %'. Bv[anch 



effectually assert for a Rej^nblic its national rights and its energetic 
life ; and how, too, in such a time, the voluntary and unsalaried ex- 
ertions of Christian zeal can, under God's blessing, send through all 
the rifts and chasms opened by this conflict the influences of a warm, 
prompt, and loving charity. 

'^ Jiesoloed, That to give new power to our valiant champions, 
and to make them an effective moral police amid these national con- 
vulsions, they need and have full right to expect that they should 
be followed, as far as may be, to the camp, the deck, and hospital, 
by the influences, remembrances, and sympathies of the homes and 
the sanctuaries from which they have gone forth, and which some 
of them may never be permitted to revisit ; and that thus to seek 
to render our soldiers and sailors yet more and more intelligent, 
resolute, conscientious, and devout, is a work demanded alike by 
gratitude, humanity, patriotism, and religion ; and that champions 
so followed and sustained, are the more likely to return as law- 
abiding citizens and principled patriots, to the quiet pursuits of 
home, and the orderly administration of the Republic. 

" Hesolved, That heavy as are the drafts made on the resources 
and incomes of the peoi^le, it is by such sacrifices resolutely en- 
countered that God has trained nations for enduring freedom; and 
that mere material prosperity, unchecked and untasked, has often 
ripened a people for irremediable ruin; that Infinite Wisdom, in the 
symbols of that inspired dream by which it analyzed prophetically 
to the Chaldean king, the causes of the ruin of the world's old em- 
pires, showed a head of gold toppling to inevitable overthrow, be- 
cause supported on feet of inconginxous and unassimilated iron and 
clay, a lesson remaining true for all after times ; and that a Christ- 
ian Republic must educate, humanize, and evangelize its population 
into moral sympathy and brotherhood, as the indispensable prece- 
dent condition for the retention of its life and powers ; that wealth 
finds its sweetest uses and its surest safeguards in such beneficent 
activity, and knowledge its happiest honors in such diflusion of its 
treasures, and faith and love so busied find in Providence unexj)ect- 
ed resources and an invincible ally ; but that to hope to build up 
a Christian state in this nineteenth Christian century, by steadying 
the power of the few on the ignorance, oppression, venality, and 



^i the J^l. ^. (^h!;istian Commission. 19 



corruption of the naany, is to hope that the head of gold may, on 
our Western shores, find in the mingled but discordant iron and 
clay, a steadfastness which God has always and everywhere denied 
to such an experiment ; and that its success here could be hoped 
only by its j^roving itself able to erase j^rinciples that God has 
deeply and repeatedly graven upon the history of the nations, and 
only by its outwitting and outworking the retributions of a Provi- 
dence that has never yet been seen to slumber, 

" Resolved, That we urge, therefore, most heartily upon all our 
churches, that their jjrayers and alms and efforts be given without 
stint to the work so wisely and effectually commenced by the 
Christian Commission." 

Arrangements were made for a general meeting of the citizens, 
which took place on the ninth of February. The following ac- 
count of this meeting will be read with interest : 

" The Great Public Meeting of the Comjiission- ix the 

AcADEJiY OF Music. Lieutenant-General Scott in the 

Chair. Major-General Burnside present. 

" One of the most impressive public meetings in behalf of a 
Christian cause, was held on Sabbath evening, February ninth, in 
the Academy of Music, '^hat spacious edifice was crowded to its 
utmost capacity, and thousaiuls could not gain admittance. It was 
estimated that a thousand persons stood the entire evening in the 
aisles and lobbies of the building. On the spacious platform were 
grouped scores of the clergy, military officers, eminent jurists, 
merchants, and public men. On the right and left of the Chair sat 
ex-Governor Morgan of New- York, General Anderson, Judges 
Allen and Woodruft' of the Supreme Court, and other distinguished 
citizens. 

" Mr. William E. Dodge reminded the audience that it w^as a 
Christian occasion that had assembled them on the Lord's day, and 
suggested that any demonstrations of respect for the venerable pre- 
siding officer of the evening, or others, should be made by the 
silent rising of the assembly. When the majestic form of General 



20 M mmw(^^\ Becoiid of the M ¥. Biinnch 



Scott appeared, the vast congregation arose in solemn stillness — an 
unj)recedented act of blended respect for a great chieftain and of 
reverence for tlie King of kings. The simple spectacle was sublime. 
There was a simihir demonstration when General Burnside entered. 
" General Scott silently bowed his acknowledgments for this ex- 
pression of Christian respect, and, on assuming the chair, said : 

" ' Fellow-Citizen^s : The honor done me on tliis occasion, in 
calling me to occupy this chair upon an occasion of so much im- 
portance and worth, gladdens the heart of an old soldier, and fills 
liini with gratitude and love. New-York has sent out her thou- 
sands upon thousands of brave sons, to fight the battles of our 
Constitution and Union, and has not forgot them in the field or 
upon their return liome. Her care has been incessant. She has 
given them every aid, has cared for their fixmilies, and watched 
over the wounded, sick, lame, and halt upon their return. The ob- 
jects of this Association will be explained to you by my colleague 
in the duties of the Chair, more fully than I shall attempt upon the 
occasion. With such a cause, that God will prosper our efforts and 
give us triumph, no Christian man can doubt.' 

" After prayer by Rev. Dr. Van Norman, addresses were made 
by Rev. Dr. Tyng, Rev. Alexander Reed, Colonel McKean, M.C., 
Rev. Mr. Ganse, Major-General Burnside, U.S.A., Rev. Mr. Duryea, 
and George H. Stuart, Esq., and the meeting closed by the benedic- 
tion, pronounced by Rev. Dr. Shedd. 

" The addresses were varied, impressive, eloquent, and powerful. 
Enthusiasm rose to the end ; the whole city and country felt the 
force of the meeting, and its benefits will extend to all parts of the 
army, the navy, and nation. 

" One of the many great and good results already realized is the 
voluntary, unsolicited contribution of about ten thousand dollars 
to the treasury of the Committee, which is the earnest of many 
thousands more. 

" Encouraged by this vigorous and noble beginning in New- 
York, the Commission, confident of liberal and efficient aid both in 
men and means, from this newly-opened and ample metropolitan 



\$i the l>\, ^. f hriistian (Commission. 21 



source of supply, feel warranted in entering upon enlarged system- 
atic plans for extending thoroughly and equally throughout all 
the forces of the Union, the grand benefits of a personal agency, 
together with the sacred Scriptures, religious publications, and such 
stores as may be needed." 

The proceedings of these meetings were published in the reli- 
gious and most of the secular papers, and awakened a deep and 
widespread interest. The clergy brought the matter before their 
congregations, and very soon money and stores began to come in. 
In the mean time the sub-committees were actively engaged in sys- 
tematizing the work of their several departments. The Executive 
Committee for a long period held daily sessions. The subjects 
coming before them were so numerous and important, and withal 
so pressing, that the promptest as well as the most careful action 
was necessary. The members of the Committee gave themselves 
to the one work of making the Commission as effective for good 
as possible. 

After the Commission was well organized, and in good working 
condition, the Eev. Mr. Cook, who had gratuitously and most ef- 
fectively served as Secretary for some five months, felt compelled 
to resign his position, and resume his labors in connection with the 
Sabbath Committee of New-York. This Committee had most 
generously allowed Mr. Cook to withdraw for a time from their 
service that his great executive abilities might be employed in or- 
ganizing the Christian Commission. Upon retiring, he addressed 
the following letter to the Chairman : 

" New-York, April 27, 1863. 
"WiLLixS.M E. Dodge, Esq., Chairman of the Nem-York Committee 

of the United States Christian Commission : 

" My Dear Sir : The exigencies of the Sabbath Committee's en- 
terprise demand my imdivided time, and render necessary the 
resignation of my office in your Committee. 



M ^Jlemoinal Becovitl of the 1^. ¥. Branch 



" I have liad occasion to investigate thoroughly the princij^les 
and practical workings of the Christian Commission, and my first 
imjjressions of the wisdom and efficiency of this scheme for evangel- 
izing the army and navy are intelligently confirmed. Had I two 
lives, I should deem it a privilege and an honor to give a part of 
one of them to what I believe to be Christ's ' Commission.' I have 
but one, and that is consecrated to the Lord's Day. 

" With afli*ectionate Christian salutations to our co-laborers, I am, 
my dear sir, with fraternal respect and esteem, yours, 

"K. S. Cook." 

The Committee expressed their high appreciation of Mr. Cook's 
services, bj the unanimous adoption of the following resolution : 

" Hesolved, That this Committee hereby tender to the Rev. li. S. 
Cook their most cordial thanks for the interest which he has mani- 
fested in the success of the work of the Commission since its or- 
ganization ; and also for the valuable gratuitous services Avhich he 
has rendered in its behalf 

" They would also express the desire that Mr. Cook will still 
continue to act Avith the Committee in the discharge of its duties." 

About the same time Mr. Frederick Gr. Foster retired from his 
position as Yice-Chairman of the General Committee, whereupon 
the following resolution was adopted : 

" Resolved, Tliat the Committee hereby tender their warmest 
thanks to Mr. Foster, for the interest which he has manifested in the 
affairs of the Commission since its organization, and they regret 
that other duties have caused him to resign his position as Vice- 
Chairman." 

Upon the resignation of Mr. Foster, Nathan Bishop, LL.D., was 
■unanimously elected as Chairman of the Executive Committee. 
Dr. Bishop immediately took the general oversight of the work of 
the Commission, in all its branches, and gave his whole time to 



\^i the '0. $. (mistian (Commission. 



23 



the service of the Committee. As the retirement ot Mr. Cook 
left the Committee ^Yithout a Secretary, Dr. Bishop conducted the 
large correspondence of the ofiice, and attended personally to every 
department of the work. 

To his good judgment, wise management, and unceasing care, the 
Commission owed in a large degree its great efdciency and useful- 
ness These disinterested and long-continued services were, as 
will be seen, duly appreciated and acknowledged by the Commit- 

■fpp 

That the friends of the Commission may the better understand 
how its work was accomplished, it may be well here to give some- 
what in detail the mode of operation. Three things particularly 
claimed attention. Funds and stores were to be obtamed. Bead- 
ing matter was to be provided. And delegates were to be secured. 

j^oiD ^ontv antr Stoves luece ©Dtainctr. 

As the operations of the Committee involved large expenditures, 
it was necessary to make proper provision to meet them. 

From the commencement the finances were carefully managed. 
The Committee resolved^to incur no responsibilities which could 
not be promptly met. To this rule they steadily adhered. While 
their work was eminently one of faith and love, they did not deem 
it right even in such a work to incur obligations which could not 
be discharged. This policy inspired public confidence, and con- 
tributed not a little to the prosperity and eflaciency of the Com- 

mission. 

The usual mode of awakening and continuing an interest in its 
behalf was by spreading information before the people through the 
religious and secular press, by public meetings, by special ap- 
peals, and by enlisting the clergy to bring the subject before their 



24 M (^emoi|ial Eecottd of the % 1. Btianch 



congregations. This latter mode was particularly satisfactory, and 
productive of large results. The Committee studiously avoided all 
doubtful means of raising funds. They never gave any counte- 
nance to the system of lotteries and raffling so much in vogue. 
Nor did they lend themselves to any sensational or clap-trap ap- 
peals. They felt a deep conviction that this mission was one of 
mercy, and that they could look to Grod for his blessing. When- 
ever the want should come, and of whatever kind it might be, they 
were assured that so soon as it should be known there would be a 
proper response. In this they were not disappointed. 

God stirred the hearts of his people not only to give their mo- 
ney freely, but also to labor patiently and perseveringly in prepar- 
ing clothing and other articles of comfort, as well as delicacies of 
every kind for the sick and wounded. At no time was the treas- 
ury ever overdrawn. When sudden demands came, involving 
heavy expenditures, there came also supplies equal to the neces- 
sity. This was on many occasions most strikingly illustrated. 
During one season in particular there was a great deal of sickness 
among the troops throughout the South. The remedy for this 
sickness was a preparation of blackberry. There were demands 
for large quantities. But how could they be obtained ? The call 
came in the season of the blackberry in the JSTorthern climate. 
Thousands gave themselves at once to the preparation of this 
article. One notable case deserves to be placed on record. A 
benevolent gentleman in Connecticut, having charge of one of 
the large establishments for condensing milk, had notices circu- 
lated that he would prepare and forward, without charge to the 
Commission, all the blackberries the people would pick and send 
to him. Within a short time, more than eighty bushels were 
sent to his establishment. These were prepared without delay, 
and forwarded to the rooms of the Commission in New- York, 



X$i tho '^. i?. (^hviistJan (Commission. 25 



and from thence sent to difierent points wlierc troops were sta- 
tioned in tlie South. By this means an incalculable service was 
rendered to our suffering men. 

On one occasion, it was proposed to hold a public meeting in 
the Academy of Music, not so much for the purpose of calhng at- 
tention to any particular claims which were specially urgent, but 
to submit statements with regard to the general operations of the 
Commission. The speakers were engaged, and the arrangements 
were all completed. But when the evening came the whole coun- 
try was in a blaze of excitement. The memorable campaign of 
the spring of 1864 had opened, and the fearful " battles of the 
Wilderness " were in progress. The Academy was thronged by a 
vast multitude, eager to hear and ready to do. The speakers ap- 
pealed in behalf of the thousands of bleeding, suffering, djdng 
men. The memories of Antietam, of Fredericksburgh, of Chan- 
cellorsville, and of Gettysburgh were recalled. It was a scene 
never to be forgotten. A collection was taken up amounting to 
twenty-six thousand dollars — the largest plate collection probably 
ever taken in this country. It was soon increased to thirty-five 
thousand dollars. ^^ 

Then, again, during the last campaign, while the final struggle 
was going on, there was an urgent call for a large amount of 
means. There was no time for a public meeting. On Friday, a 
brief appeal was drawn up. On Saturday, it was sent to the clergy 
of the city, Avith the request that, if practicable, it be read in their 
churches the next day. This was done by many of the clergy, 
and the result was remarkable. Two or three cases are worthy of 
special notice. At one of the churches, it was the occasion of 
their annual missionary collection ; the clergyman was at a loss to 
know what to do. He read the appeal — he paused — but finally 
determined to take up a collection at once for this object. This 



26 M ft^emoijial Becoiid of the % f. Biianch 



was done before the sermon ; after the sermon tbe regular collec- 
tion was taken. The former amounted to over one thousand dol- 
lars, and the other was fully equal to what it ever had been. At 
another church the appeal was read, and an impromptu collec- 
tion was taken, amounting to twenty-five hundred dollars. The 
clergyman at another church read the appeal, and asked his peo- 
ple to send in to him what they could. The response was nearly 
tM^o thousand dollars. These cases show how promptly, and with 
what liberality, the j^eople gave when there was a need for it. 
While it is not possible to speak in detail of the contributions re- 
ceived by the Committee, it is proper to state that, in addition to 
what was done at home, the American missionaries in China, Siam, 
and Constantinople, and American citizens in various parts of the 
world, made liberal offerings, and expressed the deepest sympathy 
in behalf of their suflering country'. 

Thus it was God supplied the means for carrying on this blessed 
work. 

In the matter of awakening an interest, and of raising funds, 
the Committee were greatly indebted to the Eev. Greorge J. Min- 
gins. His frequent visits to the army as a delegate, his deep interest 
in the cause, as well as his peculiar gifts as a public speaker, emi- 
nently fitted him for this work. For two years he was in the ser- 
vice of the Committee, during which time ho visited and spent 
several months on the Pacific coast, laboring on behalf of the Gen- 
eral Commission. His operations in that region extended from 
San Francisco in California, to Portland in Oregon, and also to 
Nevada. In nearly every placs of any importance he was enabled 
to hold meetings, and address the people in behalf of the work of 
the Commission. The results of his labors in that distant field were 
very great. While engaged within the particular district assigned 
to the jSTew-York Branch, Mr. Mingins was in the habit of preach- 



^)i the '0. i^. (^hriistian (fJommission. 27 



ing in tlie clmrches, and holding pnblic meetings as opportunities 
oflfered. He was everywhere received with the utmost kindness, 
and afforded every facility for accomplishing his work. God blessed 
his labors most abundantly, and the Committee desire to have 
placed on record their high appreciation of the services he was 
enabled to render. 

The amount of funds received by the Treasurer of the New- 
York Branch was $307,6-i9.38. The value of the stores received 
was estimated at $33,901.16. Making a total of about $341,653.54. 

At an early day, the importance of providing and distributing 
suitable reading matter engaged the attention of the Committee. 
When the first appeal was made, a large number of old books, 
pamphlets, magazines, and newspapers were sent in. These were 
assorted and distributed. But it was soon discovered that to meet 
this demand, and supply proper reading for the men in the service 
would require a great deal of time and intelligent labor. The 
Committee could not allow- these thousands of their fellow-citizens 
to be put off with an occasional and irregular supply ; much less 
could they consent to their having only the fragments of old libra- 
ries, cast-off periodicals, or the floating and corrupting trash of the 
day. Accordingly, they addressed themselves seriously to this 
work, and, within a few months, every thing was reduced to an 
easy and regular working system. The ships, leaving the Navy- 
Yard in Brooklyn, the hospitals, the forts, the camps, and the 
troops in the field, were regularly and abundantly supplied with 
a well-assorted religious and general literature. Wherever it was 
practicable, as in the forts and hospitals and on the ships, good 
libraries were provided. Religious newspapers were purchased in 



28 M ^^emomal Becovd of the "Ji J. Biianch 



large quantities, and distributed regularly, not only in tlie hos- 
pitals, forts, and camps, but among the men in active service. 
Some idea of the magnitude of this work may be had, when it is 
stated that the number of periodicals sent out from the New-York 
office alone, amounted, not unfrequentl}^, to from one hundred and 
sixty thousand to two hundred thousand copies per month. On 
an average, some two hundred and forty ships were supplied 
monthly with reading matter. Beside all the books, magazines, 
and papers sent in gratuitousl}', the Committee expended, in this 
branch of their service, thirty-one thousand five hundred dollars. 
No part of their work, perhaps, conferred upon the soldiers and 
sailors more pleasure and benefit, or was more fruitful of good 
results every way, than this provision for their reading. 

The Committee were most fortunate in having as the Chairman 
of the Committee on Publications, Dr. Oliver Bronson, of New- 
York. Though in feeble and failing health, he devoted all his 
time and strength to this work. Besides carefully selecting from 
the issues of the different societies, and of the various publishing 
houses in the city, he had several small books and tracts prepared, 
with special application to the men in service. Every thing in 
this department came under his personal supervision and care. 
In view of his efficient services, the Greneral Board unanimously 
adopted the following resolution : 

JResolced, That the tlianks of this Commission are justly due, and 
they are liereby presented to Oliver Bronson, M.D., for his unwearied 
zeal and attention as Chairman of the Committee on Publications ; 
for the time, patience, and labor expended, and the judgment exhibit- 
ed by him in the selection of the various publications, and the care 
exercised by him in their distribution. 

This resolution but expressed the true sentiments of every mem* 
ber of the Bof^rd. 



M the '^t ^. ^htjistian Commission. 29 



In this connection, it is proper to state, that from the American 
Bible Society, the Committee received, without charge, a full sup- 
ply of Bibles and Testaments, so that the Commission became a 
most efficient agency for the distribution of the Word of God. 
They also received from the Evangelical Knowledge Society 
grants of Prayer-Books equal to their demands. From other 
societies, grants were made, from time to "time, of their publi- 
cations. 

To select, commission, and send forth persons to act as delegates, 
was a most important and delicate duty. These persons would 
represent, on the one hand, the Commission and the Christian and 
patriotic sentiment of the people ; and, on the other, they would 
have to accommodate themselves to the rules of the military and 
naval service, commend themselves and their work to the officers 
in charge, and minister acceptably to the physical, mental, and 
religious wants of the men. 

It would devolve upon a delegate to go wherever his services 
might be needed, to take -charge of whatever stores might be sent 
to him, to be ready at all times to aid the surgeons, to cooperate 
with the chaplains, to visit the hospitals, and not unfrequently to 
act as a common nurse; to dispense delicacies to those who needed 
them, to distribute proper reading matter, to receive and transmit 
to distant friends messages of business or affection, to hold religious 
services, to converse and pray with the sick and dying, and to bury 
the dead. In a word, to carry to the soldier and the sailor, in all 
the circumstances of his temptation, danger, trial, and suffering, 
the ministrations of sympathy and love, the influences of home, 
and the blessings and hopes of the Gospel of his Saviour, It would 
be his mission to go forth, in the spirit of his Divine Master, and 



30 M ^^emor^ial Beco»|d of the % ¥. Btjanch 



do, without fee or reward, what he could for the bodies and souls 
of his fellow-men. Such was the work proposed. Could it be 
done? Were the men to be had? Would they volunteer their 
services ? Tliese were the questions to be solved. After duly 
weighing the whole matter, the Committee made their appeal. 
They sent it through the country. At once, there was a full- 
hearted response. Every mail brought the names of those v/ho 
were willing to enter the service. Clergymen, with the consent 
and apj^robation of their congregations, placed themselves at the 
disposal of tlie Committee. Physicians, lawyers, merchants, me- 
chanics, and students did the same. Yery soon, the difficulty was, 
not to obtain delegates, but to make a proper selection from among 
those who offered their services. It should have been stated that, 
as a rule, no compensation was paid for the services of delegates— 
a moderate sum was allowed to meet their actual expenses. As 
the field of operations was for the most part in the distant South, 
it became necessary to accept only such delegates as could give 
from six to twelve months to the work. The length of service, 
and the peculiar exposures of a Southern climate, presented many 
difficulties which had to be met. There were those who could 
easily arrange to be absent from their homes for a few weeks, but 
comparative!}^ few who could give the time which this distant and 
protracted labor required. And yet, with the favor of God, these 
obstacles were overcome. Faithful and devoted men were found 
ready to undertake this self sacrificing, and, in many respects, most 
difficult work. It is not too much to say, and it is but just to say 
it, that in no part of the country were the objects of the Commis- 
sion more effectively and satisfactorily accomplished, than in these 
distant fields. 

It will interest the reader to know more in detail the plan by 
which the delegates carried out the purposes of the Committee. 



the i|t. .$. (^hr^istian (Commission. 31 



This will be shown by presenting the operations of the service 
under the general head of 

Bepattments of 2Latioi\ 

For the sake of greater efficiency, the general field was divided 
into distinct departments — eacli department bearing a particular 
name. Over each department, a suitable person was appointed, to 
act as agent. All the delegates for a given department were 
under the supervision of this agent, wliose duty it was to assign 
them their particular work, and furnish them with such supplies 
as they might need. All the forts, hospitals, troops, and shipping 
within the department were to be provided for. This agent was 
in constant communication with the office in ISTew-York, receiving 
such supplies of stores and reading matter as his department might 
require, and rendering, monthly, an account of all the work under 
his care. By this arrangement, the Committee always knew what 
was wanted and where it was wanted. If a given department 
needed more delegates, or stores of a particular kind, the demand 
could be promptly met. Eoi" instance, after any of the heav}^ bat- 
tles in Eastern Yirgiuia, it was known that the hospitals at Nor- 
folk and Portsmouth would be crowded. To the Agent at Norfolk 
stores of every needed kind were immediately sent, and sent in 
large quantities. He was authorized, also, to procure and supply 
bountifully the sick and wounded with the fresh fruits of that 
region. 

So, also, when it was known that General Sherman would soon 
appear on the Atlantic coast with his legions of war-worn veterans, 
large supplies of clothing, and articles of comfort and convenience 
of every kind, were forwarded to the agents of the Commission, 
ready to be distributed among tlie troops upon their arrival. 



32 M PRemorjal Becoi|d of the % 'f • Bi|anGh 

The Departments of Labor may be numbered as follows : 

1. The forts, camps, naval and military hospitals in New-York, 
and in the neighborhoods and towns from fifteen to twenty miles 
from the city. Of these, there were some twenty, embracing, on 
an average, from ten to fifteen thousand men. 

2. The ships of war> with their transports leaving the Navy- 
Yard of Brooklyn. There were about five hundred and eighty 
ships and thirty-four thousand seamen. These constituted the 
laro-er part of the naval force of the United States. 

3. The Department of Eastern Virginia, embracing Norfolk, 
Portsmouth, and the fleets coming to and departing from that 
port. The Eev. E. N. Crane was the Agent, and had his head- 
quarters at Norfolk. The number of delegates varied from six to 
twelve. This department was administered with great system and 
economy. 

4. The Department of North-Carolina, embracing all the terri- 
tory within the Union lines south of Virginia. The headquarters 
were at Newbern. The following persons acted as agents. Eev. 
Jacob Best, Eev. John C. Taylor, Eev. A. S. Lovell, and the Eev. 
Washington Eodman. The number of delegates varied from ten 
to eighteen. The labors of this department were most difiicult and 
arduous. After the fall of Wilmington, and the approach of 
General Sherman's army, all the hospitals were crowded with 
the sick and wounded, and the delegates were taxed to the 
utmost of their abilities. 

5. The Department of the South, embracing all the territory 
within the Union lines in South-Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. 
Headquarters at Hilton Head. The agents were Eev. W. H. Tay- 
lor, Eev. Joseph Henson, and Eev. Dwigbt Spencer. Number of 
delegates varied from ten to fifteen. The afiixirs of this department 
were conducted in a most satisflictory manner. 



^)i the X^i. ^. (Bhristian (Commission. 33 



6. The Department of the Galf, including all points within the 
Union lines, from Key West, on the east, to the Eio Grande, on 
the M'est ; the Lower Mississippi, as far north as Port Hudson, and 
also the Red River region, as far as the Union forces held pos- 
session. 

The lieadquarters were at New-Orleans. For a few months, the 
Rev. J. F. Sutton acted as agent. lie was succeeded by Dr. J. Y. 
0. Smith, whose medical knowledge and eminent administrative 
abilities, peculiarly fitted him for this most responsible position. 
For two years and a half he conducted the affairs of his depart- 
ment, not only to the entire satisfaction of the Committee, but to 
the great comfort and benefit of the soldiers and sailors who came 
within the limits of his field. He was most ably seconded by a 
corps of twenty or more delegates, some of whom continued in the 
service for two years or more. 

In this connection, it should be stated, that while persons from 
all professions and callings offered their services, and rendered 
most essential aid, by far the larger number were clergymen. The 
Committee soon discovered that, as a rule, clergymen were more 
acceptable to the men, arfid consequently more efficient than any 
others. The soldiers and sailors, whatever might be their habits, 
were more disposed to listen to the instructions of tlie clergy; and 
in sickness and sorrow, they were deeply grateful for their minis- 
trations. This feeling, which everywhere manifested itself, was a 
most striking and gratifying testimonj^ to the position and influ- 
ences of the Christian ministry. 

Many of the clergy gnve from six to twelve months, and some 
from a year and a half to two years. It has been the invariable 
testimony of all thus engaged, that no portion of their ministry has 
been so profitable to themselves, or so useful to their fellow-men, 
as the time spent in the service of the Commission, 



34 M ft^emoi^ial Becoiid of the '% y. Btjanch 



illustrations of tlje S^Iortt petfotmctr. 

The following extracts, taken almost at random from the cor- 
respondence of the delegates, show the nature and importance of 
the work accomplished. 

It has already been stated that the field of operations was, for 
convenience and efficiency, divided into distinct departments, and 
that over each department an agent was placed, under whose super- 
vision the work was carried on. 

The following report from the x\gent of Eastern Virginia, gives 
a fair idea of the systematic and thorough manner in which every 
thing was done : 

"Branch Office, 9 Graxby Street, ) 

"Norfolk, March 8, 1865. j 

'"''Secretary United States Christian Commission : 

"Dear Sir: According to instructions, I present tlie following re- 
port of the Christian Commission's work in the District of Eastern 
Virginia for the montlis of January and February, 1865, with a pass- 
ing reference to previous months. 

"This district comprises the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and 
the defenses, consisting of a regular line of earthworks, around them ; 
the outposts and picket-stations, located at intervals out to and at 
Sufiblk, and up the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal to Currituck ; 
and, on the eastern shore of Virginia, the Portsmouth Navy- Yard, and 
vessels constantly entering, lying at, and leaving the port ; the two 
army hospitals and the naval hospital in Portsmouth, and the army 
hospital and two prisons in Norfolk ; Fortress Monroe and the adja- 
cent camps and hospitals, and the vessels lying in Hampton Roads ; 
Newport News, Avhei*e there is a colored recruiting camp; Yorktown, 
Gloucester Point, and Williamsburgh. Within this circuit we have 
probably reached, with our supplies and labors, during the past two 
months, over twenty thousand soldiers and sailors, not including 
those engaged in the Wilmington expedition, with which we sent a 
delegation of five clergymen, whose labors in the fleet occupied re- 



the \^. ^. ^hriistian (Commission. 35 



spectively from two to six weeks, closing toward the end of Jan- 
uary. 

" Eight clerical and two lay delegates have labored under my di- 
rection during the time over which this report extends, namely : 

" Rev. R. B. G , who reported for duty in this district Decem- 
ber ninth, 1863, being located most of the time at the army lines near 
Portsmouth, until December twelfth, 1864, when he left for Roanoke 
Island in the Xewbern District, Avith the oT)ject of establishing a 
Christian Commission station there. He left for home early in Feb- 
ruary, 1865. 

" Rev. L. tS , who had been laboring in this district very effi.- 

cieniiy last summer, reported here for duty a second time, October sixth, 
1864, and Avas engaged in the Portsmouth Hosi)ital until November 
second, when he went to New-York to arrange matters in reference 
to the Wilmington fleet delegation. Being taken ill, he did not re- 
turn until November twenty-seventh. He Avas then engaged in pre- 
paring for the expedition. The fleet, Avith our delegation on board, 

sailed for Fort Fisher December fourteenth. Mr. S returned 

to Norfolk in the hospital-ship Fort Jackson December twenty-ninth, 
and, receiving a letter informing him of the dangerous illness of his 
daughter, started immediately for home. He returned the latter part 
of January, and resumed the position of temporary cliaplain onboard 
the United States steamer-Colorado, (upon Avhich he had entered 
early in December.) A few days after, he sailed on this vessel to 
New- York. 

" Rev. E. P. W reported for duty at this oftice November six- 
teenth, 1864, and Avas engaged in hospital labor until the middle of 
December, Avhen he entered the Wilmington fleet delegation as tem- 
porary chaplain on board the United States steamer New Ironsides, 
in Avhich he Avent doAvn to Fort Fisher, and Avas present at the first 
bombardment. He Avas very cordially received by the ship's com- 
pany, had commenced to labor in social meetings for prayer and Bible 
instruction among the men, and had distributed several packages of 
reading matter, and some sanitary stores, when, after a fortnight's 
labor, he Avas disabled by sickness, and returned to Norfolk Decem- 
ber thirtieth. He Avas quite ill and unable to do much active duty 
for a Aveek or ten days. He, however, rendered me valuable assist- 



3G M i't'^emoijial Becovid of the li ¥. B);nnch 



ance in the office until the middle of January, after which time he 
was very actively and efficiently employed in hospital visitation, and 
in holding services at various points at Xorfolk and Portsmouth until 
February twentieth, when he closed his labors and left for home. He 
was, from the first, a most faithful and useful delegate. 

"Rev. C. H. B reported for duty at this office November 

twenty-third, 1864, and was engaged in the Portsmouth hospitals, in 
camp, and on vessels at the navy-yard until December twelfth, when 
he entered the Wilmington fleet delegation as temporary chaplain on 
board the United States steamer Powhatan, Avhich position he occu- 
l^ied tmtil the close of his term of service, holding regular Sabbath 
services and social meetings for prayer and religious conference 
among the men almost daily, and distributing reading matter and 
stores to the extent we were able to supply them. During the last 
fortnight, he w^as engaged most of the time in assisting the Rev. 
W. L. T , Agent at the Christian Commission quarters at Fort- 
ress Monroe. He closed his labors February fourteenth. No dele- 
gate in this district has been more zealous and eftective, and the la- 
bors of none have been more signally blessed. He bore all his ex- 
penses, and upon leaving, handed a donation of ten dollars to Mr. 
H , to purchase delicacies for several patients in the naval hos- 
pital. I am happy to learn that he thinks of entering again upon 
the work of the Commission, and hope he may return to this district. 

"Rev. H. D. B , formerly Chaplain of the One Hundred and 

Sixty-seventh New-York volunteers, reported for duty at this office De- 
cember seventeenth, 1864, and was engaged in labors at the Portsmouth 
hospitals until January second, 1865, when he Avent down to join the 
fleet delegation then lying off" Beaufort, N. C, to take the place of the 

Rev. E. P. W as temporary chaplain on the New Ironsides, and 

labor in the fleet generally, as he might find opportunity. He was 
thus engaged tmtil January fourteenth, when he returned to Norfolk, 
and has since been working miscellaneously at the Portsmouth and 
Norfolk hospitals, prison-camps, and on board vessels, holding occa- 
sional religious services, and distributing reading matter and stores, 
but mainly occupied in teaching colored soldiers in two wards of 
Balfour Hospital, where his labors have probably been the most use- 
ful. He purposes to return North soon to take a pastoral charge. 



the l]\. .i?. fhijistian (Commission. 37 



" Rov. B. B reported for duty at this office December twenti- 
eth, 1864, and was actively and steadily at work in the Balfonr Hospital 
nntil Jannary second, when he took the hospital steamer Fort Jack- 
son, ia company with Mr. B , for the Wilmington fleet, to fill 

the place of temporary chaplain on board the United States steamer 

Colorado, during Mr. S 's absence at the North. He remained on 

board until January tenth, laboring acceptably among the sailors, 
liolding occasional prayer-meetings, and distributing reading matter. 
He then rejoined the Fort Jackson, and was present at the second 
bombardment and the capture of Fort Fisher. He i-eturned to Norfolk 
on tlie same vessel in care of the wounded, in which work his efficiency 
and devotion enlisted the warmest commendation and thanks of the 
surgeon and other officers. He arrived here January eighteenth, and 
has since been regularly employed at the navy-yard, visiting and dis- 
tributing reading matter, and holding religions services on board the 
vessels. He has secured a sub-repository for supplies in one of the 
navy-yard buildings and is carrying on the work with vigor and 
success. When joined by Mr. B— — --, as I hope he soon may be, they 
Avill be able to occupy the field thoroughly, and, I trust, with blessed 
results. 

" Rev. C. D. W reported for duty at this office November 

twenty-third, 1864, and spent a few days in laboring in the Portsmouth 

hospitals. On November t\i::£nty-eighth, he took Mr. G 's place at 

Fort Hazlett, on the army lines near Portsmouth, to labor in the detach- 
ments of troops holding this line of defenses, and the cavalry picket- 
posts tOAvard and at Suflblk, numbering in all from twenty-five hun- 
dred to three thousand men, for which work Government placed a 

horse at his disposal. The Rev. P. S. E^ having been recently 

appointed Chaplain of the Thirteenth NeAV-York Heavy Artillery, 

which is the main force holding this line, and Mr. W having 

been appointed Chaplain of the Third New- York Cavalry— the main 
force manning the picket-posts— the necessity of a delegate at this 
point has ceased for the present, though the frequent military changes 
may cause it to arise again. 

"Rev. W. R reported for duty January twenty-ninth, 1865, 

and has, during the month of February, been constantly engaged in 
hospital visitation, and tlu' distribution of reading matter and stores, 



38 M ^ihmoYm\ Becoi;d of the % 1. Branch 



and preaching* in tlic liospitnls and on vessels at the navy-yard, and 
on two Sabbatlis in St. Paul's Church, Norfolk. His courteous man- 
ners, sterling ability, and discretion tell effectively in our Avork here, 
elevating its tone and causing it to be more highly appreciated. Sup- 
plies to a considerable amount in value have been sent us through his 
influence. 

" Mr. W. P reported at this office for duty as a lay delegate 

November twenty-seventh, 1864. The project of Mr. S , Avho 

recommended his appointment, was, that he should join the Wilming- 
ton fleet delegation, especially to take charge of the supplies, and aid 
in their distribution ; but the original plan of locating all the dele- 
gates on board the hospital-ship, to work from that base among the 
vessels of the fleet, having been changed, and the clerical delegates 
posted as temporary chaplains on separate vessels, there seemed to 
be no proper position in the fleet to which Mr. P could be as- 
signed. He was, therefore, engaged in assisting Mr. T , Agent 

at Fortress Monroe, in forwarding supplies to and from our Norfolk 
oftice, in which he rendered very useful and timely service, and Avas 
one of our most faithful and indefotigable delegates. He left for 
home January thirtieth, closing his term of service in connection with 
this ofiice. 

"Mr. W. H reported at this office for duty as a lay delegate 

September first, 1864, and has to the present time been employed as 
my office-assistant, and engaged, whenever he could be spared from 
oflSce duties, in hospital visitation. Althoiigh not sufficiently educat- 
ed to attend to accounts or correspondence, (in which I often feel the 
need of help,) he is, in other respects, a faithful and efficient worker. 
He is especially adapted to hospital visitation, having a peculiar tact 
in winning the good-will of the patients, and admirable discrimina- 
tion and discretion in furnishing them just the supplies they need, as 
Avell as in religious conversation and general spiritual ministrations. 
I would here repeat the suggestion, made in a recent letter, that, as 
soon as some suitable person can be engaged to assist me in the office, 

Mr. H be relieved from this duty, in order that he may devote 

himself to hospital work. His labors in that department of our field 
would, I doubt not, be abundantly blessed. 

" My own labors, from the time I was commissioned as Agent for 



the '(^. $. (^hiiistiau Commission. 39 



this district, September tifteenth, 1803, have consisted in a general 
superintendence of Christian Commission operations in tliis region. 
For the first eight months, I was located at the United States Naval 
Hospital, Portsmouth, Va., performing the duties of chaplain, as well as 
those of Christian Commission Agent, attending to hospital visitation, 
conducting a daily evening service in the hospital at five o'clock. I also, 
for three months, performed chaplain's duty in Balfour Army Hospi- 
tal, Portsmouth, spending two or three mornings weekly in visitation, 
and conducting three or four services on the Sabbath ; also sustaining 
a morning and evening Sabbath service and a social service on Thurs- 
day evenings, in the Christian Commission Chapel, Portsmouth. I 
also ofticiated at the funerals in both hospitals. The Rev. M. E. 

"VY j^iifi Mr. H. B. A were my only assistants until June, 

1864, excepting the Rev. Mr. G -, whose services, however, were 

confined strictly to the army lines near Portsmouth. As our work in- 
creased, and larger invoices of supplies Avere sent to this district, the 
necessity arose for larger oftice accommodation than the Naval Hos- 
pital could furnish, and we removed to our present location. No. 9 
Granby street, Norfolk, where we occupy a house assigned us by the 
military authorities, thus far rent free. We have, besides, received 
all necessary Government facilities for carrying on our Avork. Our 
office has become an established and well-known institution of the 
city, and our band of laborers increased from one to ten. I am now 
constantly occupied in ofl^ce duties, receiving and issuing sui)plies, 
conducting correspondence with the New-York oflice, with delegates, 
chaplains, and others, keeping the ofiice accounts, and visiting, as I 
have time and opportunity, various points at which delegates are la- 
boring, and conducting two or three Sabbath services in the Norfolk 
prisons and hospital. 

" The above I have given as a cursory glance at our work from the 
beo-inning of my agency in this district, introductory to a regular 
series of monthly reports. 

" I subjoin a statistical report of our work in this district for the 
months of January and February, except that of the Wilmington 
fleet delegation and of Rev. Mr. Walker of the army lines near Ports- 
mouth, of which no statistics have been furnished me : 



40 M mmnm\\M Becor.d of the % J. Bijanch 



January. Febi'uary. 

Religious services, (mostly on Sabbath,) 20 37 

Hospitals visited and supplied, 13 13 

Prisons " " " 3 8 

Regiments, detachment visited, 43 66 

Vessels " U 65 

Boxes and packages sent from office, 189 26T 

Weekly and monthly religious papers distributed, . . . .27,406 32,563 

Books and Tracts " 4,924 12,044 

Bibles and Testaments " 740 433 

"Decided religions interest lias been apparent in tlie car-lionse 
M'ard of Balfonr Hospital, (a large building at some distance from the 
other hospital buildings,) and on board tlie United States steamers 
Powhatan and New Ironsides, and there is good evidence of several 
conversions, especially on the Powhatan, under the labors of Mr. 

B . Our work in the navy is greatly increasing in extent and 

interest, and in its appreciation among tlie officers and men. We 
have, within the hist month, held frequent Sabbath services on ves- 
sels lying at the navy-yard, and apjjlications are frequently made 
at our office for supplies of reading matter for vessels arriving at or 
leaving port. This being one of the principal naval stations of the 
country, the importance of our navi/ work here, which is especially 
committed to tlie New-York Branch of the Christian Commission, can 
scarcely be over-estimated ; and amidst all the changes that may 
take place, our anni/ work will probably not diminish, but rather in- 
crease, for a year to come, even thougli the end of the war may be 
near at hand, on account of the military as well as the naval import- 
ance of this point. 

" Our sanitary supplies liave been distributed by the delegates with 
good judgment, and special care has been taken to see that they did 
reach those for whom they were intended. They have brought com- 
fort and relief to many suftering ones, and the work of the Christian 
Commission in ministering to both body and soul has been most 
gratefully appreciated and acknowledged. 

" Respectfully submitted. E. N. Cuane, 

"A"eiit U. S. Christian Commission for Eastern Virdnia." 



^)t the '($. ^. ^hiiistian (Commission. 41 



A delegate from Eastern Virginia writes: 

''PoRTSilOUTII, Va. 

"• I beg to make a brief report of my Avork in Portsmouth unJer 
tlie direction of your efficient Agent at N'orfolk. I devoted myself to 
tlie hospitals in Portsmouth, especially the Seaboard Hospital and 
the Baptist Church Hospital, distributing a large amount of reading 
matter, talkiug with the men, and giving out sanitary stores, such as 
fresh vegetables, wines, crutches, fans, handkerchiefs, etc. On the 
first Sunday I preached in two prisons, the colored liospital, and the 
Union Church ; on the second Sunday, in three hospitals. The atten- 
tion Avas very serious indeed, and Ave all enjoyed the occasion. All 
meet the agents of the Christian Commission Avith the heartiest wel- 
come, and tlie men are remarkably open to religious influence. My 
labor has been the most pleasant I ever enjoyed. I Avould call your 
attention to the earnest need of one or tAvo permanent delegates in 
Portsmouth, Avhere there are about two thousand sick and Avounded. 
There is a great want of Bibles, Testaments, liymn-books, and of 
sanitary stores, Avhich last are indispensable to the spiritual Avork in 
the hospitals. 

"The second day after I left New-York, I found myself busy 
among soldiers on the steamer, talking and reasoning Avith them on 
points of morality and on the subject of being prejiared to die. Af- 
terward, on the Avay up tlie-James River, an Episcopal brother and 
myself performed public service among the soldiers, and after the 
service distributed books and tracts, all apparently Avith acceptance 
and profit. At the front, near Point of Rocks, AVork Avas demanding 
attention. In the hospital tliere — an old farm-house — some of our 
suffering boys received from us, thankfully, this one an orange, that 
one a lemon, another a good tract, and another a Avord of exhortation. 
While there, some sixty to seventy-five AVOunded soldiers came by 
from another part of the field in ambulances. We made and gave 
them a pailful of lemonade, and a pretty good supply of oranges, 
thus cheering many a soldier's heart. 

" Continued service not being needed at that time on the front, on 
the next day I had a very attentive audience of about thirty soldiers, 
the captain of the steamer and some of his men being also present. 



42 M ft^emoijial Hcco);d of the Ji). 'V. Btjanch 



" On my way from Fort Monroe to Baltimoro, I found myself in 
company Avitli upwavcl of three hnndred, among whom it was not 
convenient to have any public service ; but learning that they were 
nearly all very scarce of funds, and many of them, for a day or more, 
had been without a supply of food, and not knowing of any way to 
procure a supply, I was happy in directing them to a saloon where a 
meal is given by the generous pi'oprietors and patrons of it to the 
defenders of our country as they pass by. In Philadelphia, on my 
Avay home, I found it for edification, in a weekly prayer and confer- 
ence meeting, to speak in behalf of our suffering soldiers. Other in- 
stances of the same kind might be mentioned, since my return and 
before. My preaching from cot to cot of course was an every-day 
service, and I don't feel prepared to speak of the number of times I 
was thus employed. 

"Services of this kind are sometimes very highly esteemed, not 
only by the soldier addressed and prayed for, but by those in his im- 
mediate vicinity. 

" At the request of the chaplain, I acted in his stead one evening, 
and called on a soldier very ill. Soon after I spoke to him, he asked 
me to pray for him. I inquired into his state of mind. Every thing 
appeared to be right, except that he did not feel prepared to say that 
he was a Christian. I explained to him that if he was intelligently 
and sincerely looking to Christ for salvation, he was a Christian. I 
inquired if he recollected any instance in the New Testament where 
our Lord disappointed any who came to Ilim sincerely asking a flivor 
for themselves or friends. He answered, No. I declared to him that 
Christ was the same now as then ; and that if he were sincere in his 
application, he ought not to doubt his acceptance. And I asked him 
if he felt sure in reference to his own sincerity. He promptly and 
with apparent sorrow replied that he was sincere. I exhorted him 
to fear not. I then announced to those around, (I had not been 
among them before,) that their very f^-eble friend had wished me to 
pray for him, and made a few remarks and then j^rayed, with solemn 
attention all round. I called in a day or two afterward, to see the 
man I had prayed for. I was informed by those near his cot that he 
was dead ! And said one of them : ' Sir, your visit and prayer the 
other night saved him!' I mention this to show the high, and, in 



^)i the '(^. ^. (f.ln;i8tian (Commission. 43 

tins case, the over-estimate given by oui- snfiering boys to the ser- 
vices of faithful ministers." 

The following extracts are taken from the correspondence of 
delegates laboring in different parts of the field: 

A delegate writes from the ISTaval Hospital, Portsmouth, Va, : 

" This is one of the largest naval hospitals iu the United States. 
It has at present over three luuidred wounded naval offi(;ers and men 
— the cured leaving, and others arriving continually. Xo chaplain 
was here to sympathize and pray Avith them, to point them to the 
Lamb of God, and smooth their dying pillow, and transmit their last 
remembrances to loved ones at home. 

"Most of my labor is with individual sufferings and necessities of 
body and soul. My first inquiry ^vas for the most fital cases. Two 
of these I had barely time to warn of their danger and urge to repent, 
before their eyes closed in death. Others of special interest I will 

mention. J. C , a young man whose parents reside in iSTew- 

York, had an arm tornoif by a shell which killed his brother and two 
others. These three lie buried here. He Avas a member of the Sun- 
day-school of the Memorial Church, corner of Hammond street and 
Waverley Place. I found him deeply interested in the salvation of his 
soul, and in a few days was'^nabled to inform his pious parents that 
their poor wounded son w%as rejoicing in a hope in Christ. 

" F. B is a man of family, from Brooklyn, over fifty years of 

age. Rapid consumption set in after an injury ; has been given up by 
the surgeons. Though here but a few days, he has found his Saviour. 
I have witnessed repentance in many a sinner ; but such brokenness of 
spirit, such love to Jesus, such trust in Him, would cause any Christ- 
ian to weep for joy with him, as I have done. 

. . . . " I have started two prayer-meetings daily, at six a.m. 
and six p.m. They are well attended by those who can leave their 
couches. Last evening there were about one hundred present. At 
the close more than a dozen rose and asked to be prayed for. I have 
appointed an inquiry-meeting at one p.m., daily. My service on the 
Sabbath is at halfpast two p.m., the morning being wholly taken 



4i M ft^smorial Kccord of the % It. !toranch 



up by the surgeons in the wards. This service is well attended by 
surgeons, ofHcers, and men, and very solemn." 

At a later period the same delegate writes : 

" Our services in a church opened for us by General Viele, have 
been very gratifying. In the evening the house was so full that the 
doorway, porch, and windows outside were surrounded by those un- 
able to procure seats. The audience was very attentive, and tarried 
after service to sing and greet each other." 

A delegate writes from the Naval Hospital, Norfolk, Va. : 

" The Spirit of God is here, of a truth. Tliere have been several 
conversions within a few days. One, an old man of sixty-four, a 
remarkable instance of the power of the grace of God. He was the 
greatest reprobate in the whole ward, and almost defied God. Yes- 
terday he found peace in believing. He has been in the service thirty 
years, has doubled the capes of both hemispheres twenty-one times. 
I sent, this morning, a letter to his pious v,ife in Philadelphia, an- 
nouncing the glad tidings of his conversion. 

" Our library succeeds admirably. The volumes were all taken, 
and many more would have been, could we have supplied them. We 
liave them elegantly catalogued and numbered. It is carried through 
all the wards twice a week, and is very popular and useful. In fact, 
it promises more than any other instrumentality of the press we have 
employed. Many thanks and blessings have been exj)ressed to the 
Commission for the generous and early response made to our appli- 
cation." 

A delegate writes from Fort Jefferson, Tortagas, Fla., in refer- 
ence to a box of books sent by the Commission : 

" I had notified our men that a ])0x of fresh religious books was 
coming, and as my stock of reading matter had nearly run out, and 
all eyes were eagerly looking for the vessel, it Avas not necessary for 
me, when she discharged her cargo, to look after my box. As soon 
as it appeared, with my name on, marked from the Ciiristian Com- 
mission, some half-a-dozen of the men In'ought it to my quarters, say- 



©f the '(ft. ^. (^hi|i8tiau (Commission. 4-5 



ing : ' Here, Chaplain, is the box of books ; and if you do not consider 
it rude, we should like some right off.' I promptly complied with 
their request, and since then have been busily engaged in distributing 
the contents of the box. Our soldiers in this department are becom- 
ino- great readers, and it gives me great pleasure to see how the dif- 
ferent companies emulate each otiier. Our books, papers, and tracts 
are also received by the prisoners — of whom we have one hundred 
and forty — with great thankfulness." 

A delegate, after visiting various places on the Lower Missis- 
sippi, writes : 

" We found upward of twenty-five hundred sick and wounded in 
the hospital at Baton Rouge. One man told me it did him more 
good to see us there on our errand of mercy, than it would to obtain 
his discharge. Another young man, for whom I had some corn-starch 
and other delicacies, prepared from tlie Commission stores, said, al- 
most weeping: 'O sir! this is the first thing I have seen since leav- 
ing Maine that looks like home.' He told me that his brother, in the 
same company to which he belongs, had left Baton liouge for a Xew- 
Orleans hospital, sick ; and as he had not heard from him, he feared 
he was dead. I went to New-Orleans soon after and looked him up. 
I found him dying. He expressed a hope that he had given his heart 
to Christ. I staid with hinilill night, and the next day cut off a lock 
of his hair, and took his dying message to his friends. 

" At Port Hudson I spent several days in the front. On the morn- 
ing of the engagement, I started for Springfield Landing for supplies. 
When I reached the telegraph station my horse gave out. While 

waiting for a wagon, Dr. R , Medical Director of one of the 

divisions, asked me to take charge of this station, where I give to all 
the wounded, as they pass by, iced drink and refreshments. Some 
fifteen hundred have already been relieved in this way." [The letter 
was dated Lilly Station, and written in lead pencil, " after the rush 
of ambulance-wagons past the station was over."] 

Some months later, another delegate writes : 

" At Baton Rouge I attended a meeting in the Barracks Hospital. 



40 JK ft^lemoi-ial Hccord of the % 1. Branch 



The room was crowded. A large part of the audience consisted of 
pious soldiers, many of them recently converted. They spoke freely 
and prayed fervently. I made visits to the hospital wards, making- 
distributions in all cases to officers and soldiers, hearing, everywhere, 
deep interest manifested in our work, and testimony to its great value, 
and observing a general disposition to afford us every assistance. 

" The next Sabbath morning I preached at Port Hudson. Though 
the morning was showery, officers and men came out well. On Mon- 
day I attended a devotional meeting of the chaplains and instructors. 
They all united in a cordial testimony to the value of the Christian 
Commission to them; m-ging further aid, more frequent visits, and 
larger supplies, particularly of books and papers. These chaplains 
are faithful working inen, preach regularly, hold social meetings, dis- 
tribute reading, teach school. They spoke of the cooperation of 
their officers, and how eager they were to obtain reading matter. 

" I landed at Donaldsonville on Sunday morning, at eight o'clock. 
Was cordially received by the Colonel. lie assisted me in the dis- 
tribution of books and papers, and sent his orderly to give notice for 
preaching, and at eleven o'clock drum beat church-call. He, with 
his staff, and a good number of the troops, attended. I was told 
that many of them had heard no preaching for years ; some, proba- 
bly, never. All listened I'espectfully, some with deep interest. How 
they crowded around my box! In a few minutes all the German, 
French, and Roman Catholic Testaments were gone, and not a tenth 
supplied; then a large quantity of English Testaments, and papers, 
tracts, leaflets, etc., indefinitely. They had never before been sup- 
plied or even visited." 

The agent having for a time the charge of the Department of 
North Carolina, gives the following general account of the work : 

" On arriving in North-Carolina as agent of the United States 
Christian Commission, I found the work of the Commission carried 
on at four principal points, namely, Newbern, Goldsborough, Wil- 
mington, and Kaleigh. I directed the work, and resided, during my 
term of service, chiefly at the first-named place, making brief visits 
to the other localities, as occasion required, The duties of the office 



■(f)f the '(fl ^. (Jhijistian (f.ommission. 



at Ncwbeni were discharged by myself and several able assistants, 
and were of the deepest interest, our calls amounting to no less than 
ibur and five hundred, and, in one instance, to six hundred soldiers 
in a single day. Many of these applicants were needy men of Sher- 
nian's and Schofield's armies, and others were released prisoners from 
Wilmington, Andersonville, and Columbia, whose claims to sympa- 
thy and assistance, arising from long months of sufiering, made it a 
sacred duty to minister to their relief. It was a touching sight to 
behold — these men as they entered our office and made tlieir simple 
requests, asking, in the great majority of cases, for some article of 
trilling value, such as a shirt, a pair of shoes, or a comb ; or else as 
eagerly desiring to be furnished with either a pocket Testament or 
some religious paper, after naming one that had been familiar to 
them at their homes. They seemed fully impressed with the value, 
and were peculiarly affected by what may be called the parental 
character of the Commission, in making provision, as it did, for even 
their smallest wants. The coldest-hearted contributor to the charity 
would have had his eyes moistened inevitably, at hearing the daily 
repetition of requests preferred in this modest and hesitating way : 
' You can't give me a few dried apples, can you ?' ' I'd like to have 
a little blackberry syrup, if you have any.' ' The only thing I want 
is a pair of suspenders.' ' Can you s\)ave me one of those little combs ?' 
It can not be unworthy of record — and the mention of the fact will 
give pleasure, I am sure, to tlTousands of generous workers— that the 
comfort-bags and their contents — evidences of a love that never wea- 
ried — were fully appreciated by these noble men. It was amusing to 
hear the articles in question called for by such a strange variety of 
appellations. One wanted 'a comfort-bag,' another 'a housewife,' 
another ' a w^ork-bag,' wdiile still anotlicr asked for ' a needle-album,' 
this last evidently giving himself no little credit for originating so 
clever a name. 

" Copies of the Bible and of the Testament were also thankfully 
received. Great numbers of men returning to their distant homes 
applied for these, and for a few small religious books, ' for the child- 
ren,' showing clearly that through months and years of hardship and 
exposure to manifold temptations, they still retained fond memories 
of home. Our stock of Bibles having been quite exhausted toward 



48 JK PRemorial Bccord of the li 1. Branch 



the close of our stay, I was obliged to write orders for these upon the 
Commission officers at Richmond, Baltimore, and other Nortliern 
cities, so eager was the desire of many of these heroes to have a Bible 
to carry home from the war. 

" In how many humble cottages of the various States of the Union 
are these precious books now treasured and reverently handled, and 
what countless thrilling memories will they awaken, as they speak — 
as no other Bibles can speak to their possessors — the words of eternal 
life ! 

"Beside office distribution, much was also accomplished in the way 
of furnishing reading matter — chieily in tlie form of tracts and news- 
papers — to soldiers in the hospitals and camps, and to those arriving 
or departing on the cars. 

" The work performed in connection with the branch offices of 
Goldsborough, Wilmington, and Raleigh, was of like character to 
that which I have referred to, except that at these there were larger 
facilities for the important work of outdoor and indoor preaching 
than were available at Newbern, where the throng of applicants and 
constant demands from the various stations threw so large an amount 
of office-labor upon a willing but overburthened force. 

" With regard to the delegates with whom it was my privilege to 
be associated, I can only say that they toiled faithfully and inces- 
santly in what was, to them, a labor of love, several of them working 
on with unflagging energy, until prevented, by utter prostration of 
bodily strength, from working any longer in the cause. AVhile it 
would give me great jileasui-e to name all of these brethren, and to 
specify the service of each, I can not omit to mention the names of 
Brothers Thomas, Dinsmore, and Gregory, of the office at Wilming- 
ton ; Brothers Downey, Cochran, and Allen, at Raleigh ; Brothers 
Noble, Weed, Andrews, Campbell, Sultzer, and Garland, at New- 
bern ; and Brothers Pierce and Sellick at Goldsborough ; all of whom 
put forth their best exertions, and merit the warmest praise. The 
services of Brother Gregory, at Wilmington, were greater than those 
of any other, from the circumstance that his opportunities were 
larger, and were fully and enthusiastically embraced. Among the 
sick and dying of the returned prisoners, brought into Wilmington, 
and forming a dismal caravan of woe, beside the bed of each ghastly 



the tft i^. (ghijistian (Commission. 49 



sufferer, in all the indescribable fearfulness of those fantastic, liorrid 
scenes, this strong-hearted man passed witli words of tenderest con- 
solation, and with precions deeds of love. 

" Such a service was only possible to one strong in faith. It can 
not remain without record upon eartli ; it can be duly measured and 
fitly recompensed only in lieaven. Tlianking yourself and Dr. Bishop, 
and the otlier members of tlie Committee for the privilege of occupy- 
ing an humble place among your laborers, and acknowledging, grate- 
fidly, your unwavering kindness and support, I remain, 

" Very truly yours, Washixgtox Rodmax, 

" Agent for North-Carolina ." 

The following shows the need of delegates : 

" DoxALDSoxviLLE, La., January, 1804. 

" I find this to be the best jjlace to establish my headquarters, as I 
can, conveniently from this point, supply Thibodeaux, Napoleonville, 
Plaqucmine, and the few other places included in my field of labor. 
There are two or three regiments, or about one thousand men, at 
each of the above-mentioned places, and not one of the regiments has 
a chaplain. You may be sure, therefore, that a delegate of the Christ- 
ian Connnission need not be idle in tliis vicinity. Some of the regi- 
ments about here have not been well supplied with reading matter 
heretofore. They are therefore very anxious to obtain the books and 
papers supplied by the Cliristian Commission. 

" Among the books and pamphlets you sent, there is one, especially, 
in the praise of wliich I desire to speak, and I shall endeavor to place 
numbers of tliem in every company. It is the little work by Br. 
Hall, of Xew^-York, entitled Soldier-Health. Tiie many useful hints 
to the soldier that it contains, as to the best method of preserving 
health, fortifying the system against disease, stopping the bleeding 
wounds in the absence of a surgeon, etc., must certainly, if observed, 
greatly lessen the mortality of our armies. All the surgeons with 
whom I have spoken concerning it, pronounce it an excellent work. 

" The geographies, arithmetics, slates, etc., came very acceptably. 
I supplied the hospital in this place with some, and I find they are in 
4 



50 M ft^emorjal Record of the 1. J. Branch 



use when I visit there. Many of the convalescents seem very much 
interested in their intellectual advancement. 

" The i^ickles, dried fruit, etc., whieli you sent, I have endeavored 
to distribute to the most needy ones. The berries I gave to the pa- 
tients in the hospital, and they received them Avith unfeigned thank- 
fulness. 

" This morning, I attended the funeral of one of the patients, a 
member of the Tu'enty-sixth Regiment Indiana volunteers, who died 
yesterday. 

"If all our soldiers who meet cleatli in their country's service could 
leave behind such cheering testimony, that ' to die is gain' to them, 
the liearts of many friends at home Avould not be so wrung with bit- 
ter grief as now ; for the question is not alone, 'Has my husband, my 
brother, or my son fallen ?' but a more momentous question is : ' Will 
he rise to the resurrection of life ?' 

" I visited the deceased frequently during the day or two previous 
to his death, and found liim prepared to meet the ' King of terrors ' 
in peace. The evening before he died, I offered to write home for him 
if he so desired. 'Yes,' he replied, 'I would like to have you write 
to my wife. Tell her that I am very sick, and I may drop away soon, 
but tliat I do not fear to go. Tell her .also that I want her to be a 
Christian, and then if we do not meet in this world, we Avill meet in a 
better one above.' I asked him if he had property at home of which 
he wished to give directions. 'No,' said he, 'I am a poor man. I 
have no land and no property of great value.' 'Poor,' I added, ' as 
regards temporal things, but rich in eternal things. You have no 
lands, no n^ansion here ; but you have an inheritance to a kingdom 
above, and a home in the "house not made witli hands, eternal in 
the heavens," will be yours.' ' Yes,' he replied, in a tone and mannei- 
that satisfied me that he appreciated the priceless gift. 

"An hour or two before he expired, he said : ' I am going to leave 
you. I am going on a long journe}', but I do not fear to go.' He 
seemed to have no doubt nor fears whatever. His confidence in death 
seemed to impress deeply the minds of the other occupants of the 
ward, most of whom were not professors of religion. 

" Now came the sad task of writing to his young companion, and 
informing her that she was no longer a wife beloved, but a vyUJoio. 



i^f the '0. >5. (ghr^istian (Commission. 51 



But I could render a word of consolation by informing licr that we 
had reason to believe that her loss was his gain, and could also point 
lier to him who is a special God of the widow and the fitherless. 

" I now have a regular appointment for Sabbath service, and ex- 
pect to make arrangements for several other appointments." 

Concerning the colored troops, a delegate writes : 

"Tlie colored soldiers, many of them, are trying hard to learn, and 
some of them succeed for beyond what could be expected. It is not 
an uncommon thing to see them going fortli in the morning to a 
twenty-four liours' picket-duty with a musket in one hand and a book 
in the otlier— a fact full of significance. They prize the books and pa- 
pers provided for them by the Christian Commission A'ery highly, and 
are very thankful to get them.' They often say they must be mighty 
good folks up in the North, to send them down such nice books and 
papers for them to learn out of 

" Tlie wliite soldiers also appear very thankful for any gift bestow- 
ed upon them, and speak very highly of the Commission, and fre- 
quently say : ' We are not forgotten by our friends at home, although 
we are far away." 

A delegate from the Department of the Galf writes : 

"I find the soldiers, almosjLto a man, very glad to get the publica- 
tions ofiered them. There is much vice in the army, but there are 
countoi-acting influences. In several of the regiments, recently here 
iVom the West, revivals have been progressing for many months. 

Chaplain H 1ms baptized upward of forty of his regiment. 

Chaplain D — reports a good work, and says there are hundreds 

of praying men in his regiment. Others speak of encouraging tokens. 
So you see there are bright spots, though much darkness. I labor 
with much cheerfulness in this good work." 

Another, upon the receipt of reading matter, says : 

" Accept my heartfelt thanks for the packages of excellent reading 
matter you sent me. I did not keep it but a small portion over twehe 
hours. My own regiment would have taken all if I would have, al- 
lowed it. You ought to have seen with what greediness the poor 



52 M ftiemoiiial Becoiid of the li W Bi;anch 



hnngiy boys grasped those welcome papers, for they had been nearly 
two weeks without any thu)g to read. The spelling-books go fost, 
as many of the men can not read. Testaments, hymn-books, alma- 
nacs, and papers are wanted. I have about five thousand men in my 
brigade." 

The following extracts show with what system the work was 
done : 

" I have the Iionor to submit my naval report for the ' West Gulf 
Blockading Squadron.' I have eighty -five vessels, which are scatter- 
ed from Florida to Texas — a large proportion being at Mobile at 
jaresent, and from ten to twelve always here, New-Orleans, in the 
river. The vessels have on board an aggregate of about six thou- 
sand men. I give every vessel one package once in two weeks, mak- 
ing one hundred and seventy j^er month. On an average, there is 
one paper to every three men, and one tract or little book to every 
six men. This is about my proportion of the publications received 
at this office. I visit the Naval Hospital and Soldiers' Home regu- 
larly, talk and pray with the sick, distribute reading matter, and on 
Sunday preach twice and three times." 

The following letter tells its own storj : 

"MoRGANZiA, La., January 5, 18G5. 
" It has been in my heart some days to give a more detailed report 
of the work of the Commission in connection with the chapel tent. 
It affords facilities for the distribution of reading matter and sanitary 
stores. My circulating library is quite an institution of itself. Here 
are about six thousand soldiers in camp. They find much time for 
reading. 1 am happy to say, many of them appreciate and improve 
the opportunity. At the same time, the tent is fitted up for religious 
meetings. This seemed to be needful : first, from the fact that so few 
chaplains are in the service, (only one at this place now ;) second, 
the soldiers need a rallying-point around which they can gather for 
devotions, especially in the months of the winter. Sunday evening 
about nine, I commenced an evening meeting, which has been contin- 
ued with growing numbers and interest to this time, preaching Sun- 



'(^i the (f|. '^. (i^bijistian Commission. ns 



day and Wednesday evenings, prayer-meeting other evenings. Bible- 
class Sunday a.m., largely attended by officers and men. 

" The prayer-meetings have been most efiective. Friday evening, 
October twenty-eighth, there seemed to be a solemn spirit prevail- 
ing. On invitation, to the thouglitful and anxious, to the surprise of 
some, nine soldiers rose for prayer. Since then there has been con- 
stant revival, ISTot less than twenty have received salvation in con- 
nection with these meetings. At no time has the work appeared so 
deep and hopeful as at the present. Some cases have been of special 
interest. A young sergeant from Delaware arose, confessed his need 
of Christ, and earnestly begged us to pray for him. A few evenings 
after, he rose, referring to the fiict, said : ' It has been a blessing to 
my soul ; and now I want you to pray that I may be a fiiithful Christ- 
ian. I have pious friends at home.' Another rose for prayers. I 
spoke with him after meeting ; he said : ' I have a father in heaven ; 
my mother is on the way to heaven ; nothing would rejoice her so 
much as to know of my becoming a Christian.' He repeatedly after- 
Avard spoke with assurance of sins forgiven ; was a sinful boy when 
he came into the army, and grew more sinful till his conversion. 
One day a soldier came into my tent, sat down, and wept like a child. 
I said: 'What is your trouble?' He answered: 'Three days ago I 
received a letter from my father, near Philadelphia, informing mo 
that my mother is dead. I-know she is gone to heaven ; and I know, 
unless I am a changed man, I can never meet her there ; for I have 
been a great sinner; and this is my trouble.' He is first at meeting 
and first on his feet for prayers. Last evening he said the light was 
dawning on him. His countenance indicated it. He has been from 
home ten years, a prodigal son, desires to live to see his aged father 
once more, and the grave of his mother. But I must not multiply 
cases like the above. 

" The testimonies of pious soldiers in meetings are truly edifying. 
One was converted seventeen years ago, amid storm and tempest, 
in the mountains of Virginia ; is himself rather stonny — at least he 
seems to believe that the kingdom of heaven suftereth violence and 
the violent take it by force. Another thanks God that he was con- 
verted on the broad prairies of Iowa, another on Pike Creek, airother 
in a rude chapel in Kentucky, ami another at his bedside in J\Iassa- 



5i M ft^emoi|!al Beooi|(l of the 1i >'. Btiauch 



cliusetts. Nearly all bless God for praying mothers. In a word, 
these meetings are of thrilling interest — great occasions, sometimes 
as many outside as inside the tent ; the most perfect decorum. I 
confess my heart is warm as I write. To me it is a luxury to serve 
such a cause. My labors have been excessive.. My healtli is not 
what it was when T came into the service, and yet I am not sick. 
General Ullman has kindly detailed a man to assist me — a pious, 
capable brother from the One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio Regi- 
ment. I have no doubt he will render valuable assistance, and with 
out any expense to the Commission. 

" The boys now propose to build a chapel in addition to my tent, 
so that we will be better able to accommodate the large numbers 
who desire to attend the meetings. We confidently expect a great 
revival here this winter, and thus will the true objects of the Christ- 
ian Commission be realized. 

" Trusting Ave have the prayers of the good and the blessing of 
God, we thank God and take courage. 

'•I have the honor to be your most obedient servant." 

Chaplains were often aided by the Commission, and the follow- 
ing shows how such aid was appreciated : 

"I desire, by this note, very gratefully to acknowledge the receipt 
of a fine box of books, brought me by your Agent, Mr. Metcalf. They 
meet my wants exactly, and are of a kind and quality to insure them 
a ready acceptance among the men. 

"I feel myself greatly indebted to the Christian Commission for 
the supplies of books they have granted me. My library is invalua- 
ble. I have made it circulating, and have from seventy to eighty 
books out all the time. The men read what they get with avid- 
ity. They come to me at all hours, and receive, with the most un- 
bounded gratitude, Avhat I have to give them. 

"My selection is of such a kind as to enable me to adapt the books 
to every condition of mind amongst the men. To one, anxious on 
the subject of religion, I give the Anxious Inquirer, or Come to 
Jesus. In the hands of the Christian, I put Christian Progress, or 
Earnest Thoughts, or Ileadley Vicars. To the careless, I give 



^)i the '(^. .$. (Christian (f.ommission. 55 



something which will lead theiu to the Saviour. Already, I see the 
good eftect. My prayer-ineetings are well attended, my meetings 
more interesting, and the moral tone of the regiment perceptibly 
elevated. My Bibles and Testaments are almost all gone. Men come 
in for them who liad none at home. Several have asked and received 
them who, I am sure, would have spurned the word of God a few 
months ago. I need yet the hymn-books. With them, we shall be 
able, I trust, to resist the demoralization of war, and drive back the 
forces of Satan. 

"I can not tell you how much benefited and encouraged we are by 
your beautiful gifts. I liope to report many cases of conversion to 
God, resulting from your efforts. My regiment blesses you for your 
kindness. 

" The primers and spelling-books for the contrabands, I will distri- 
bute at my earliest opportunity. I intend to start a school myself 
among them, if my duties Avill permit — and I think I can arrange 
them for it — and I will report you my success. I gave primers to the 
boys employed in the regiment. One of them, the Colonel told me 
to-day, lay by his fire until midnight, trying to decipher his letters 
I gave another to a bright youngster, and a few minutes after, I saw 
him sitting on a stump, book in liand, while a little drummer-boy was 
teaching him to read. 

" I would be glad if you would send me the hymn-books — we need 
them badly. Wishing yorr~!it all times success in your good work." 

IIOAV READING MATTER "WAS VALUED. 

" I am much pleased with the volumes. They are interesting 
works, but Avill nut supply half the number of those that want them. 
I have not found a man that is not both able and anxious to read. 
Every thing readable is seized with aviditj'. All can read English 
except one Frenchman. If we had as many more volumes of miscel- 
laneous or secular works to add to these, the library would then sub- 
serve the end fully. Good secular reading is of great usefulness to 
those who would not read a positively religious book, or who would 
otherwise be viciously occupied. 

" If the Committee will duplicate in number and vary in character 



5fi M f^eanoVjial Bccoijd of the li y. Bijanch 



the catalogue forwarded, they will truly meet the wants of this most 
important and useful field. Please send promptly, as they are sorely 
needed. It is hard to deny any hungry man food for the soul. 

" I doubt if a more useful field of labor than this can be found. It 
should have a permanent chaplain, of true Harlan Page character. 
The field would be ruined by an imadapted man. The sailor and the 
soldier must have a lover of souls and of Christ, whose discernment 
in winning their affections and meeting their difficulties will enable 
him to take them like little children to Jesus. There is no difficulty 
whatever in winning any man. One of the most interesting conver- 
sions of the past week here, is a truly promising young man, who 
was reared strictly in the papal faith. I found him a most wonder- 
fully tractable case, after a few ' regular approaches,' as the besiegers 
say. He soon became deeply anxious to have me speak Avith him, 
and sit by his side, and point him by faith to the cross. He is not 
ashamed of his new position at the feet of Jesus and in our meetings 
of prayer. 

" No case is so hardened as to be impenetrable. A man, seventy 
years old, has, during the past week, taken his stand with the people 
of God, after a life given wholly to Satan. He had been a wealthy 
man in one of our large cities — wasting his nights in the club room, 
until finally he ' spent his all in riotous living ;' followed his wife to 
her grave, broken-hearted and stripped of her paternal legacy ; and 
then plunged into low^er depths — was shipped under a false repre- 
sentation of his age, and brought a sufferer to this hospital, where the 
Spirit of God has transformed him wholly. 

"There are instances here of men who have acknowledged that they 
had given up all hope of ever being saved — supposed they were be- 
yond the power of grace — but liave been drawn by ' the cords of 
love and bands of a man.' Two days since, I spoke to a very inter- 
esting man — a husband and fixther — from the city of New-York. He 
had insuperable difficulties to religion, he said, because of the doc- 
trine of eternal punishment. I took him at once into his own heart, 
and showed him that the very truth at which he stumbled so seriously 
had an unmistakable existence — hell begun already, and must develop 
throughout unending ages ; and then appealed to him as a fiither, 
dragging his little ones with him. That night he was at the prayer- 



the ^. ^. (?bt|istian (Commission. 67 



meetin<^-, and again at six next morning. Going past Lim the next 
day to speak to others, I said : ' Good morning.' ' Oh !' said he, ' I 
ani so thankful yon spoke to me yesterday. I was all wrong— and 
then your portrayal of my influence as a father broke my heart. I 
can't live so. I have determined to serve the Lord, and unite myself 
with His dear people.' He is heartily absorbed in divine things, and 
looks with a shudder into the pit from whence he has escaped. 

"I trust the Committee will call for men of true spiritual power- 
men of judgment, who will win officers and men — men who can meet 
the objections, and errors, and prejudices of both— wlio will command 
respect and win hearts— ready men, pleasant, cheerful, courteous. 
Christian gentlemen and working Christians. It is, and yet it is not, 
astonisliing to see how intuitive the soldiers and sailors are to read 
human nature and Christian, nature. Don't send delegates of any 
other class— better send fewer than to send others. I speak for the 
Commission and the canse. 

" Yesterday, the chaplain of the Thirteenth New-Hampshire, sta- 
tioned on the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad, between four and 
seven miles hence, came to see me— has been twice— hoping to ob- 
tain Testaments and periodicals, but I had none for him. He is a 
warm-hearted, catholic, good man. He Avants fifty Testaments for 
his regiment alone. Will you forward promptly to me a quantity of 
Testaments for this region ? We Avant English with few exceptions- 
two or three hundred at lefist." 

"Newbekx, 1863. 

" I am axiously awaiting the publications I wrote for, and expect 
tliem by the Ellen S. Terry, Avhich is due here in a day or two. I 
have made arrangements for the distribution of most of them, and 
have need of others. Many chaplains consider these publications a 
most valuable aid, and beside distributing them among their own 
regiments, act as colporteurs among neighboring regiments, destitute 
of chaplains. In the regiments not otherwise provided for, of Avhich 
I have found a good number, I visit each tent, and in this way have 
an opportunity not only to reach each man with the publications, but 
also to converse with them, and become in a measure acquainted Avith 
them. The reception I have met Avith has been gratifying ami en- 
couraging. But there has been such a general and constant move- 



58 M P^emotiial Becoi|4 of the li ¥. Bijanch 



ment of troops, that my work has been partially interrupted. Affiiirs 
are, however, becoming- more quiet and settled now. A brigade has 
returned from Charleston, and I shall have need of a good many more 
puljlications. I will thank you to send, by the first opportunity, the 
following, namely : 

" Twenty-five hundred English Testaments ; one hundred German 
Testaments ; two thousand hymn-books, (Young Men's Association ;) 
one thousand hymn-books, (Tract Society;) one thousand Sketch of 
Life of Havelock; one thousand Soldiers' Life and Every Day Bat- 
tles, (Episcopal Society ;) one hundred volumes for libraries ; five 
hundred small books, paper covers ; two thousand Messengers for 
May ; one thousand Christian Banners ; one thousand Tract Journals ; 
one thousand each of six selected tracts. To be supplied by next op- 
portunity." 

From the foreo-oino- letters and extracts, it will bo seen that 
proper reading matter was regarded by delegates and. chaplains as 
of very great importance. 

The Committee fully appreciated tlie value of this agency, and 
did all they could to meet the demands made upon them. 

In looking back upon their work, they feel that, next to the 
relieving of present physical wants, through the joersonal agency 
of the delegates, the providing and furnishing suitable books, mag- 
azines, and newspapers conferred the greatest and most permanent 
benefits upon the soldiers and sailors. Wherever this provision 
was made, the effects were most manifest in the employments, 
habits, and general conduct of the men. The intense eagerness 
with which reading matter was invariably received, is the best 
possible evidence of its usefulness. 

In re-reading the correspondence of the Committee, it has been 
a matter of surprise to see what a large proportion of the letters 
of the delegates and of chaplains and officers is occupied either in 
applying for books and papers, or in giving an account of the 
interest with which they were received and read. 



X^i the tft. i?. ^hiiistian (^omniission. ■ 59 



The Committee feel deeply grateful that they were enabled to 
do as much as they did in this particular department of their 
labors. 

One of the effective agencies employed for enlisting the sympa- 
thies and securing the cooperation of the whole community in the 
work of the Commission, was that of holding public meetings. 
These usually took place in churches or in lecture-rooms, and were 
addressed by delegates recently from the seat of war, and others. 
In this way the reality of the work was more directly and practi- 
cally brought before the public mind. 

During the war there were occasions when it seemed important 
to give more than ordinary dignity and impressiveness to these 
meetings. Such was the case in the early days of the Commission, 
when the great meeting in the Acadeni}^ of Music was held, of 
Avhich some notice has already been given. The presence of 
General Scott and of other distinguished military chieftains, as well 
as leading men in the civil walks of life, gave to that meeting an 
importance and significanoer^vhich made its influence felt over the 
whole land. 

On Sunday evening, the fifteenth of May, 1864, another meeting 
of a similar character was held in the Academy of Music. It was 
a period of intense excitement. General Grant was fighting his 
way to Eichmond on that line where he was long delayed but 
from which he was never driven. The nation was watching his 
movements with breathless attention, as he fought, day by day, 
the terrible battles of the Wilderness, Under these circumstances 
the meeting took place. There was a vast assemblage. The spa- 
cious edifice was literally packed in every part, and thousands 
went away, unable to obtain admittance. William E. Dodge, Esq., 



60 M §thxno\\\Q\ Hecoiid of tlic B. >'. Bijanch 



presided. The venerable Bishop Mcllvaine, of Ohio, offered 
prayer. Addresses were made by the Chairman, the Rev. Wil- 
liam Adams, D.D., the Rev. E. N. Kirk, D.D., the Rev. J. T. Dur- 
yea, and George H. Stuart, Esq. The following resolutions were 
offered by William IT. Aspinwall, Esq. : 

^'' Hesolved, That the objects and labors of the Christian Commis- 
sion eminently commend themselves to the patriotism and Christ- 
ianity of onr conntry. 

" Mesolved, That the men who are perilling life, and health, and 
fortnne, for the preservation of our country, shoiild receive the full- 
hearted Cliristian sympathy and support of the people of this land. 

" JResolvcd, That in these ministrations of mercy, the wants and 
claims of the thousands who, in the providence of God, are com- 
mitted to our hands as prisoners of war, should not be overlooked 
or neglected. To care for such is peculiarly in accordance with the 
precepts and examjile of our divine Lord, whose name we bear, and 
in whose service we are engaged. 

" jResolved, That it be urged upon all our cliurches and citi- 
zens, that their prayers and contributions and efforts be given 
promptly and without stint, to the work so wisely commenced and 
so effectually carried on by the Christian Commission." 

General Anderson rose and said: "I second tliese resolutions 
with all my heart." They were then passed unanimously. 

This meeting created a deep impression and was productive of 
much good. 

The last meeting of this kind was held in March, 1865. As a 
fair specimen of these large meetings, and as giving a comprehen- 
sive view of the spirit and work of the Commission, the proceed- 
ings on this occasion are given entire, as they were reported for 
the Committee. 



(i)f the '(^\. ^. (^hrjstian (Commission. 01 



MEETING OF THE UiNlTED STATES CHRISTIAN COMMISSION, 

AT THK 

Academy of Music, New- York City, Sunday, Marcli 19, 1865. 



The meeting was called to order by the presiding officer, Rev. 
Alexander H. Vixto?^, D.D., at half-past seven o'clock p.m. 

The President said : I am desired by the Managers to make a 
request to the audience, that there shall, during the evening, be no 
demonstrations of applause. 

The exercises will commence by singing the liyrau, 

Jesus shall reign Avliere'er the sun 
Doth his successive jourae3'S run ; 
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, 
Till moons shall wax and wane no more. 

For him shall endless prayer be made, 
And praises throng to crown his head ; 
His name like sweet perfume shall rise 
With every morning sacrifice. 

Blessings abound where'er he reigns ; 
The prisoner leaps to loose his chains, 
The weary find eternal rest. 
And all the sons of want are blest. 

Where he displays his healing power. 
Death and the curse arc known no more ; 
In him the tribes of Adam boast 
More blessings than their father lost. 

Let every creature rise and bring 
Peculiar honors to our King ; 
Angels descend with songs again, 
And earth rciieat the loud Amen. 



62 M iihmo\\va\ Becoijd of the 1. ¥. Bijanch 



PRAYER BY THE REV. DR. BURLINGIIAM. 

Let lis pray. Great God ! for Jesus' sake behold thy servants 
met here to-night in the interests of this great Christian charity. 
We are here because we are in trouble as a nation. Our fellow-citi- 
zens have gone forth to stand up and fight in defense of the institu- 
tions which are common to us all ; and while they go forth breasting 
the storm of battle, we feel it a privilege to sustain them, not only 
by our prayers and sympathies at home, but by every tender care 
and consideration, and by every tiling in the way of comfort which 
our invention or our money can furnish them. We thank Thee that 
in this interest this Christian Commission has sprung up. We re- 
joice in the benevolence and patriotism that has called it into being. 
We rejoice in the men that Thou hast placed at its head. We thank 
Thee for the economy, the justice, and the integrity with which its 
affairs have been administered. We thank Thee that the loyal 
women of this country have in it found free and hearty scope for 
their handiwork. We thank Tliee that our merchant-princes, our 
tradesmen, our mechanics, our laborers, and our artisans, have poured 
into its treasury so much of their funds. We thank Thee for all the 
blessings that this institution has brought to desolated hearthstones — 
to homes that have been made vacant and sorrowful by the deaths 
of loved ones. We thank Thee for the blessings of humanity and 
religion which this institution has carried to camp and hospital, and 
to the battle-field. But, O Lord ! war still rages. Peace has not yet 
dawned upon us. Our brave sons are yet upon the field. We are 
on the eve of another battle. We need, O God ! to keep ourselves 
nerved up to this great struggle in sympathy and power and in bene- 
faction ; and we beseech Thee that Ave may not shrink from the duty 
which is before us. O Lord ! still let Thy blessing rest upon this 
Christian Commission. We beseech Thee that Thou Avouldst give it 
favor still in the eyes of the public ; and, as its claims are presented 
to men of means and patriotism, may those claims be responded to. 
And, as Ave shall listen to-night to those Avho have just come from 
these scenes of Avar, Ave pray that their burning Avords may sink into 
our hearts ; for they come not as theorists, but as practical men. 
And may this meeting result not only in the quickening of our patri- 



'($1 the tjj. i?. (^hr^istian (Commission. 63 



otism, ill sustaiuiiig our patience in tliis war, in raising our hoj)cs of 
final success, but oh ! may it result in something substantial and some- 
thing that is immedlateli/ required to carry blessings and comforts to 
our men, Avho are sacrificing their lives for us and for our common 
cause. Lord, hear us in these our prayers. Bless this meeting, and 
make it successful. Make it tell upon the interests of our beloved 
but imperilled country, and upon the spread of God's glory and our 
civilization. We ask and ofier all these prayers in the name of Jesus 
Christ, our Redeemer. Ame?i. 

THE PRESIDENT'S ADDEESS. 

The President tlien rose and said : 

My Friends : We are gathered here to-niglit in behalf of an in- 
stitution which I apprehend to be unique in its cliaracter, as it is 
singular in its origin, having no historical precedent. The Christ- 
ian Commission is the product of this generation, of this land, 
and of this our present and pressing war. Historians assure us 
that war is the great civilizer of mankind ; yet I suppose tliat the 
idea is to be sustained on the ground of an extension, i-atlier than of 
an inspiration ; as an improvement bestowed rather than awakened, 
by which the conquering and cultured people overlaps and overlays, 
with its own civilization, the barbarism of the defeated nation. But, 
even if it were otherwise, we^iave seen a greater and more marvel- 
lous phenomenon ; for war has, in our time, proved itself to be abso- 
lutely a Christianizing power, since out of our war has grown this 
Christian institution. 

Who would have dreamed that the seod of Christianity could be 
fertilized by the dust and blood of the battle-field ? Who would con- 
ceive that Christ's plant of grace should bear the rich, ripe fruits of 
salvation, with its roots bedded in carnage and its boughs whirling 
amidst the sirocco blasts of fierce and warlike passions ? It was 
wonderful enough that the great Saviour should be brouglit into 
life in a stable. It is a no less wonderful record that Christ has been 
born in a camp. 

But tills war has been characterized, from the beginning, with 
a sort of revival power of religion. The principle which, in the first 



64 M ft*lemoiiial Bccoi;(l of the % ¥• Bi;anch 



place, impelled the people as one man to the conflict, was the cleep- 
laid sentiment of loyalty, itself an approximate religion, hearing the 
aspect of piety. It was, however, only an indirect and reflected form 
of religious conviction — the moonlight of piety — clear and bright, 
streaming athwart the black waste of treason, yet cool withal, want- 
ing the depth and fervor of a governing enthusiasm. Soon, liowever, 
the religious element of loyalty passed into a stage of advancement. 
Tlie moonlight was changed to daylight — warmer, livelier, more 
genial, and with a vitalizing force. This fresh development took the 
form of i^hilanthropy — a positive and personal interest for those of 
our kith and kin who had taken their lives in their hands, and gone 
to wage the patriot war in free self-sacrifice ; that social and frater- 
nal sympathy which the poet calls 

" The electric cluiiii wliei'ewith we arc darkly bound," 

sprang into action. The chain began to lose its darkness / It scin- 
tillated into expression with the thrill and vibration of individual 
hearts. Then it flashed in burning words of sympathetic appeal, and 
at last burst into bright and definite flame, in the form of an organ- 
ized Christian charity — the Sanitary Commission. 

This beneficent institution illustrated one aspect of the Gospel, 
in its pity for the suflfering, and its free-handed bounty to a soldier's 
varied wants. Drawing without stint or prohibition from the ample 
resources of our people, it went to the very front to meet and em- 
brace our suffering brothers in arms ; and it went on no bootless 
errand. 

Let it have credit and blessing for its labors of love. But the 
progressive religious element of the war was not satisfied with this. 
It had not yet reached its ascendant sphere and its culminating 
power. There Avas a sublimer charity to be achieved in the use of 
Christianity's spiritual forces. The Gospel had not yet been preached 
to " the poor in spirit," nor the recovery of sight to the blind sou], nor 
deliverance to the captive, nor " the acceptable year of the Lord " to 
men who w^ere rushing to the verge of their own years. There was 
need for a more comprehensive agency of benevolence. And to meet 
this want, the Christian Commission was formed. It aimed not to 



i[f)f the '($. $. (pbi;i8tian Commission. 65 



rival, still less to supersede the Sanitary Commission, but only to 
supplement its labors of love with the works of faith, and thus to 
complete the grand round of Christian duties. So, like the Daughter 
of Mercy, the Christian Commission went to the field, following, at 
a respectful distance, her beautiful but one-armed elder sister. She 
went with her arms loaded with a double bounty — the gifts of Provi- 
dence and the blessings of grace — not overlooking the material in her 
anxiety and care for the spiritual ; curing together the maladies of 
the body and the sickness of the soul ; binding up at once the 
wounded limb and the broken heart ; sustaining in every way the 
mortal manhood, that she might better retrieve and rescue the lost 
immortal. Her sister Commission wrought for tlie soldiers' health 
and comfort ; she labored for their everlasting life and peace. If the 
agency of the one was sanatory, the mission of the other was saving. 

How far she has succeeded in her work, it is not within my pur- 
pose nor my province to declare. I only introduce upon your plat- 
forna this agent of many mercies, bringing her credentials of charac- 
ter and usefulness, and invoking your interest in her gracious labors. 
But why invoke your interest, when the aspect of this waiting crowd 
testifies abundantly that your interest is already awakened ? Some 
of you have come, no doubt, from the purest Christian sympatliy with 
this high work ; some, perhaps, from the laudable curiosity to learn 
how your alms-deeds have been prospered ; otliers, it may be, Avith 
other and closer feelings, in the recollection of husband, brother, or 
son, who, in the hour of agony, has been met by this loving agency, 
and relieved in body and in soul ; while some of you, it is not impos- 
sible, may have been yourselves the receivers of this divine bounty, 
and are here from the impulse of holy gratitude. 

With any of these feelings you are ready to welcome, with full 
hearts, the persons who shall now detail the doings of the Commis- 
sion, in illustration of its beneficence. 

I take pleasure, therefore, in introducing tlie Rev. J. T. Duryea, 
a Delegate of the Christian Commission, recently returned from the 
field of war. 
5 



66 M ^emotjial Becoi|(l ef the 1^. ¥. Branch 



ADDRESS OF REV. J. T. DURYEA. 

Ml-. Due YE A said : 

Wlien last, sir, we met here to celebrate the anuiversary of the 
Christian Commission, our brave boys Avere fighting those terrible 
battles of the Wilderness. They were forcing their way against the 
rebel host — crushing them in, then flanking them, and hurling them- 
selves upon them afresh, nntil they had, by the force of faith and 
courage, and the strong right arm, driven the invader to his home. 
God grant that they may never have such another cami^aign to fight ; 
and if this prayer were heard in Richmond now, there would be 
echoed from army to cabinet, and from cabinet to army, Amen and 
Amen ! Our delegates were moving in the thickets of the Wilder- 
ness, caring for the wounded, binding np their wounds, taking their 
last messages, preserving their mementoes, Avhispering to them the 
consolations of the Gospel, commending them to the grace of God, 
and lifting their hearts to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin 
of the world. There came up a cry from them : " Come and help us !" 
W^e were gathered here upon that Sabbath night, which so many of 
you will remember, with the cloud of sadness over us, our hearts full, 
our eyes pouring tears, waiting for heavy tidings, sick with hope 
deferred. Our anxiety was then that the swift feet and tender hands 
of the ministers of Christ should be found by the side of the Avounded 
and the dying, and our eyes Avere filled Avith tears, and our hearts 
Avere jvrung Avith sympatliy for their anguish. 'Now that army is at 
rest. No sound of battle is heard. No call to Avar is uttered. As 
peaceful, on this Sabbath day, have they reclined, on picket and in 
camp, as Ave have been in our homes and sanctuaries. Those who 
are in the far front have been taught to cross ravines and SAvamps 
and plains, as brethren severed by conventionalism, but ready to 
Avelcome each other Avith open arms and forgiving hearts, the moment 
the sound of peace shall be sweetly heard in the land. We have, 
therefore, no scenes of anguish to paint before your eyes ; Ave have 
no horrors of the battle-field Avith Avhich to try your hearts ; and Ave 
are glad, for now Ave shall bring before you with more distinctness, 
the peculiar Avork in Avhich Ave are engaged. Had there been no 
other interest of the soldier demanding our sympathy but the welfare 



\$i the '($. $. (^Inpstian (Commission. 6 "7 

of his body, the Christian Commission would never have been formed. 
It stands before Christendom as a monument of the faith of the 
American Church in the great doctrine of man's ruin, and the great 
fact of God's complete salvation. It is a testimony to all the earth, 
that Jesus Christ hath come into tlie "vvorld to save sinners ; that a 
man must be born again, or he can not see the kingdom of God. It 
hath arisen that it may go down to the soldier in the work which is 
left, shortening the period of his probation, to tell him of his need of 
a Saviour ; to tell him of his need of the renewing power of the Holy 
Spirit ; to lead him to repent of his sins ; to trust in the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and to find peace, comfort, joy, and hope in believing. We 
shall, therefore, tell you to-night, not of the agonies of war, but of 
the anguish of convicted souls ; we shall rehearse before you, not the 
triumphs of the great, but the triumphs of the cross. 

My recent visit to the army has impressed me with the fact that 
there is no such missionary field now lying open to any Church as 
that afforded by our army surrounding Richmond. There are forty- 
five miles of breastworks and fortifications ; and from within seven, 
miles of Richmond, where we can see its spires, round the semicircle 
off" Hatcher's Run, lay thickly-settled villages of tents, teeming with 
young men in the v^igor and fire of manhood. They are ready to 
hear the Gospel. Their ears are open whenever the minister of God 
stands up to declare the unsearchable riches of Christ. Their tears 
are free and generous. Their hearts are frank and warm, and God's 
Spirit has been moving among them. Our march, hurried as it was, 
to Hatcher's Run, Avas like that of Whitefield upon his early tour, or 
Wesley among the colliers of England. Everywhere Avas a congre- 
gation. Everywhere were attentive ears, open hearts, and quick, 
retentive memories. The seed scattered there will be brought to 
maturity under the bracing power of swift thought and intensity of 
feeling, when the great struggle comes. It is not my purpose to 
make a speech to-night. I come as a witness to tell a simple story, 
and I shall commence at the beginning, and go as for as I may. 
I will let you look through my eyes, and hear with my ears, and do 
all I can to make as vivid to you, and as real, what will never fade 
from my vision or be obliterated from my memory. 

We had not more than stowed our baggage in our state-rooms, 



68 M ^?eniorial Bccoiid of the % ¥. it^ranch 



oil the steamer from Baltimore to Fortress Monroe, before that irre- 
sistible and invincible President of the Christian Commission came, 
Avith part of the Bible in one hand and a hymn-book in the other, 
and said, what every delegate of the Christian Commission well nnder- 
stood : " We are going to have a meeting." " Where, sir ?" " Riglit 
in the cabin," was the reply. Here were officers lounging about, read- 
ing the evening papers, some on chairs talking under the gaslight ; 
soldiers reclining where they could get a place, and civilians moving 
here and there, because of the scarcity of places Avhere one could 
either sit or recline. We stepped into the midst of the cabin. A 
hymn was announced, and we began to sing. The men clustered at 
our feet ; and there, at the start, before we had reached the field, our 
Avork Avas begun. It did not seem to be out of place. It Avas a 
thing expected of tlie Christian Commission. The soldiers had seen 
it so often, that it Avas quite natural to them that it should be so. 
ifsroAV, if I should stejD into the cabin of one of our North River steam- 
ers and begin a meeting, it might seem out of place, presumptuous, 
and even impertinent; but the soldier has learned to Ua^c by the Avay- 
side, to do things as they best may be done, Avithout the ordinary 
implements and formalities of home ; and so, Avhen a religious service 
is improvised, it does not take him by surprise or startle his sense of 
fitness, and he is ready to hear. But this AA^as not the place Avhere 
Ave wanted to be. Although it Avas interesting to talk to the officers 
and civilians, yet Ave Avanted to be doAvn close to the heart of the 
boys. So, after the closing up of the meeting, Ave stood in the gang- 
way. I Avish I could paint that scene. Imagine a pile of boxes all 
the way betAveen the gangAvay and the engine-room, Avith blue coats 
stOAved all over them, enveloping sleeping soldiers strcAved all over 
the deck. They Avere lying thickly packed, Avith here and there a 
tortuous avenue, through Avhich passengers might tread, as they Avent 
from one part of the vessel to the other. The SAveet voice that the 
soldiers knoAV almost throughout the Avhole army front, said : " Boys, 
AvcAvant to have a meeting Avith you." Immediately their capes Avere 
throAvn from off their heads, their eyes Avere opened out of sleep, and 
they began to look earnestly at us. They gathered round us. There 
could be seen the bronzed veteran of many a campaign, and here Avere 
boys just fresh from a flithcr's blessing and a mother's embrace. 



\$l the '(ji. ^. (^Histian (Commission. 69 



There were men who had escaped from prison ; there were men who 
had long- hiin in hospitals ; and they gathered at our feet and pressed 
upon us^in the gangway. Some tlxmiliar hymn was started. How 
many hymns the soldiers have learned! how many associations in 
memory are quickened and made real, and wind themselves round 
their hearts, at the sound of such a line as this ! 

" How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 
In a believer's ear ! 
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, 
And drives away his fear." 

With what martial earnestness and promptness they sing this thrill- 
ing hymn ! 

" All hail the power of Jesus' name ! 
Let angels prostrate fall ! 
Bring forth the royal diadem. 
And crown Him Lord of all." 

I shall never forget the flickering of the lights in the gangway 
upon those sun-burnt, war-beaten faces. Never shall I forget the 
look of those earnest eyes and the devouring intensity of those eager 
countenances. Oh ! it was easy to preach. If you will give us in 
New-York such listening, we will preach here before you in our sanc- 
tuaries, as we are enabled^o preach in the army. With such an 
audience as that, you need only ask God's blessing, then open your 
mouth and let the words gush out. If I had had a manuscript with 
me, I would have used it to stand upon, but not to preach from. It 
came to my turn to speak. Without annotincing any text, I took the 
analogy of the " brazen serpent." Just before me there was one man 
who seemed to be awakened. He looked at me, listening intently, 
and then turned and whispered to one wlio stood beside him. He 
was dressed in a blue overcoat. He was a private soldier ; and I 
learned afterward that he said to the person by his side : " I once 
preached from that text myself!" There was a soldier in a private's 
uniform, a minister of the Gospel once ! And afterward, with tears 
in his eyes, he testified before that crowd that he was not wdiat 
once he was ; that through temptations and evil associations, and 



70 M PRemotiial Becoijd of the 1. y. Btjanch 



the power of that fire Avhich consumes the better part of man, he 
had become degraded and an outcast from God and his Church ; 
and there, before us, he renewed the pledge that he woukl be ftiith- 
ful to tlie God whom he had forsaken. He turned to his compan- 
ions and begged their pardon, in our presence, first, for his criminal 
silence, and then for his more criminal example. Oh ! how our 
hearts ran together in tenderness ! How the tears from our eyes 
reflected the tears from theirs ! and we found that God was over us, 
and Ave Avere draAvn together in a holy nearness to him. Arriving 
at Fortress JNIonroe, Ave changed our steamer for another ; and as 
soon as Ave had stoAved aAvay our baggage, there again Avas our 
leader, AA'itli his hymn-book and Testament, saying : " Get ready for 
a meeting." And so Ave had to stand in the gangway again, and 
there gathered about us a motley croAvd from off the boat, compris- 
ing ofiicers, soldiers, and civilians. We began in the same Avay, by 
singing a hymn, offering a short and earnest prayer, and then one 
after another, out of the fullness of our hearts, preaching the simple 
Gospel. The scene was nearly the same as the night before, under 
the flickering lamp-light. One incident Avill bring out some of the 
most tender and touching scenes AA^hich we see in the camp and in 
the field. At the close of the service the leader of the meeting 
said : " We Avould like all those in this company Avho profess faith 
in the Lord Jesus to hold up their right hands." Instantly, as a 
bayonet goes up at the Avord " Shoulder arms !" the hands began to 
shoot out of that mass of soldiers. Ay, but the leader forgot 
Avhere he Avas. A second thought reminded him. "Boys," said he, 
" perhaps some of you liaA^e no right hand to hold up : you may hold 
up the left." In the middle of the croAvd up Avent a left hand, and 
there stood a noble Christian colonel, (avIiosc life Avas saved by one 
of the delegates of the Christian Commission on the battle-field,) 
Avith the' tears streaming down his eyes and his \i])S quiA^ering, his 
left hand pointing upward as a testimony of his faith. Arriving at 
City Point, we Avere immediately placed in an ambulance, and con- 
veyed to the headquarters of the Christian Commission, Avliich, al- 
though a rude building, was exceedingly comfortable, particularly 
to those who had learned to rough it, as all must do. Just in front 
of these quarters is a A'ast hospital, which has accommodated ten 



the '($, ^. ^hr^istian (Commission. VI 



thousand soldiers at once. Here the labors of the Christian Com- 
mission suj^plement the work of the faithful chaplains. And here 
let me stop, once for all, to give the heartiest and most decided tes- 
timony as to the nobleness and faithfulness of the chaplains in the 
army. Through political influence, favoritism, and the manner of 
appointment at the first, many of the chaplains were not the men 
they should have been; because men who cared not for souls had 
no courage to stand the privations and brave the perils of the bat- 
tle-field. The campaigns that have brought men under fire have 
quickened consciences that are most terribly smitten. There were 
some unfaithful shepherds, and they have given their flocks to bet- 
ter and more faithful hands. But now let me say, I have not met 
a chaplain in tlie army who is not a worthy representative of Christ's 
Church, as a man of God and the ambassador of Christ. They co- 
operate with the Christian Commission, and our only aim is to sup- 
plement their lack of service. 

But to resume. No sooner had Ave rested, than again a call 
came forth for a meeting. There Avas a large chapel on the ground. 
It Avas built, not simply because Ave Avere expected, but because the 
men Avere in the habit of gathering CA^ery night for a simple prayer- 
meeting. Here Ave Avere Avedged upon the platform, betAveen the 
masses upon either hand of eager soldiers. And one of the most 
beautiful of these army scgiies is this — that the ofiicer sits next the 
drummer-boy, and the private soldier shares a seat with his gen- 
eral. Oh ! the thrilling poAver of this Gospel of Jesus Christ ! We 
saw there a man Avitli stai's upon his shoulders, and the negro Avith 
his chevrons. We saw them intermingled — not classified, but beau- 
tifully interblended, as God is interblending them by this Avai". 
After visiting the next meeting and the ProA^ost-Marshal General, 
(and here let me mention his name AA'ith the Avarmest afiection — 
General Patrick, the Havelock of this Avar,) Ave Avere admitted to 
a prison, in Avhicli Avcre gathered prisoners of our own and the 
rebel armies, one of the latter a wounded guerrilla. We stepped 
into the middle of the throng. They did not knoAV for Avhat Ave 
had come. We instantly told tliem, to remove their suspicions, 
that Ave desired to speak to them, as Christian men, about- their 
religious interests. They gathered round us, and after a few Avords 



72 M ft^eTOOi|ial Hccoiid of the "Ji ¥. Bijanch 



of jocular conversation among thera, understanding that wc were 
sincere, and were not mocking them, they instantly gave us their 
respect. The power of sincere, of frank, of earnest, of loving Christ- 
ianity was there displayed. In that motley crew, what lines of 
individual history we could read ! IIow darkly had the finger of 
experience written the record of sin under those fallen eyes and 
upon those deeply-furrowed brows and cheelcs ! There, with heads 
uncovered, we asked God to bless us, to open the prison-doors that 
had closed upon their guilty souls, and make them free with the 
liberty of the sons of God. We were not afraid to close our eyes 
among bounty-jurajsers, and thieves, and ruffians, and guerrillas; 
and when we opened them, it was to be greeted with the kindest 
attention, and to be accepted with the frankest cordiality. And 
there we stood upon that ground, with only the sky over our heads, 
and our congregation surrounding us, and preached twice. Oh ! it 
was a new thing — an experience never to be forgotten ; an experi- 
ence that will inspire many a heart, and strengthen the courage of 
many a Christian man to do that sort of preaching at home which 
clinches the nail and makes it to stand fast in a sure place, that the 
man of God drives in the sanctuary and the pulpit. 

It will not do for me to go over the whole ground, for my time 
is rapidly passing by; but I will just give you here the history of 
a Sabbath day's journey. We are told that this was a short jour- 
ney in Oriental countries. It was a very long journey and a hard 
one for us. In order to be at the starting-place, we took the mili- 
tary railroad, and afterward went out with the general who con- 
ducted the battle at Hatcher's Run, to spend the night with him. 
We arrived in time for dinner. While the meal was being spread 
in a tent, he gave orders that the brigade should be mustered for 
preaching — a new element of military discipline. Why, they will 
have to make a new drumbeat, and teach the buglers a new bugle- 
call, in the American army. Who ever heard of a brigade mustered 
for preaching on a Saturday afternoon ? 

While we were at dinner the congregation was assembling ; 
and, as we started out from the mess-tent, at our left hand stood 
the band, ready to accompany our sacred music, and about us the 
men who had, in that terrible conflict, leaped into the ice witli rifles 



in hand, tind pushed their way through frozen waters to take that 
fortification from the rebels. There were Pennsylvania soldiers, 
the heroes of many a battle, who had almost lost the identity of 
their regimental organizations, they being so often decimated, again 
and again. We prepared to sing that noble hymn which is so often 
sung in our own churches to the tune of " Old Hundred." The band 
gave out " Duke Street," in that peculiar and swelling tone so pecu- 
liar to brass instruments and to the singing of vast masses of men, 
and then, accouipanied by the full tone of the band, we sung : 

" Before Jehovah's awful throue, 

Ye nations bow with sacred joy ; 
Know that the Lord is God alone ; 
He can create and he destro}'." 

Then some of the brethren prayed, and I was astonished at these 
brethren. They tell me at home I do not know how to pray 
in public. I wish I could pray as well as they pray in the army. 
Then, after a few words of earnest exhortation, we dismissed the 
men and mounted our horses, to ride over the battle-field with the 
officer who directed the battle pointing out the places of interest ; 
and he showed us, with the star glittering on his shoulder, where 
he had earned it in just fifteen minutes. We looked into Peters- 
burgh, and then returned, we thought, tired enough for one day, 
and slept upon the boards of the floor of a tent, with some blankets 
thrown over us, four in a row — accustomed to rather better accom- 
modation at home, but were very cheerful about it in the army. 

Next morning we could hear that long continuous crescendo of 
the reveille, beginning in a roll and spreading like an auger-shaped 
tornado, which cuts down fields and presses its way across the 
plains, until the Avhole army was alive, and that plain was swarm- 
ing Avith active men. We arose, looked into our Bibles, lifted our 
hearts to God for his blessing, partook of our morning meal, mount- 
ed our horses, plunged through thicket-!, floundered through swamps 
and over sand-hills, to the station of the Government railroad. We 
then mounted the top of a box-car, and clinching our hands under- 
neath some timbers that were being convej^ed to headquarters, en- 
deavored to keep our place until we came to Meade's Station, and 



74 M Ift'icmomal Becoiid of the % y. Biianch 



there stopped for morning service. We entered the rooms of the 
Christian Commission. Before I wns rested, I was invited to hear 
an examination of some candidates for the ordinance of baptism. 
Many of the soh^iers wore to receive, that day, the sign of the 
Saviour's atoning blood, I listened as each one told the story of 
his experience. There is something peculiar about a soldier's reli- 
gious experience. I have, while in the army, thought of what the 
centurion said to Jesus, when he wanted his little boy healed : " I 
am a man under authority, and I say to one, Go, and he goeth ; and 
to another, Do this, and he doetli It." It seems as though that 
spirit was in the soldier. He thinks that, if Christ has promised to 
do any thing, he has the power and authority to secure it, and it 
will be done. He takes the facts of the Gospel as real, the invita- 
tions as intended, and, in a soldier-like way, marches up to the law 
of God and owns his guilty works reverently but frankly to God, 
and says, " For Christ's sake foi'give me ," and when he sees testi- 
mony that God does indeed forgive all who trust in Christ Jesus, 
he believes he is forgiven. Tlien he opens his heart Avith such 
frankness that you can read through his views and experiences. 
After the experience I have had in the ministry, from conversing 
with those who came to the church for admission into her sealing 
orders, I am satisfied that these soldier-boys were, all of them, really 
believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We prepared ourselves for the 
morning service. I do not know whether I dare attempt to de- 
scribe it. We were gathered in one of those chapels which the 
Christian Commission has built, numbering one hundred and forty 
throiighout the army. The logs are piled one uj^on another, mor- 
ticed at the corners of the building, and the interstices are filled up 
Avith cohesive Virginia clay, and then over the Avhole is thrown 
what the soldiers call a " fly," which is a piece of canvas covering 
the tent, and which admits the light but does not allow the rain to 
enter ; so there is no need of inserting windows, which is a work of 
considerable mechanical skill, requiring some nicety and mechanical 
implements. And here the men gathered, eager with a desire to 
pray before the service. We entered, and found them heartily en- 
gaged in social prayer. It was hard to interrupt them. We began, 
however, the service. Gathered round the desk were those who 



X^t the ^. ^. (Phi-istian (Commission. 



Avere to be baptized, and the clergymen were called together in 
front of them. The water was prepared, and passing through that 
bowed throng, the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
Ghost was pronounced upon them, and there, in the presence of 
their companions, they sealed their engagement to be the Lord's. 
The simple supper was supplied. A call A^-as made, that if in the 
congregation there were any clergymen present, they would please 
step forward and take part in the service. Two privates appeared 
in uniform and joined in the ceremony. In silence, one after the 
other, were passed the broken bread and the overflowing cup, until 
our tears began to flow, our lips to quiver, and our hearts almost 
to break. Then the presiding clergyman said to some of them : " It 
may be the last time ! it may be the last time !" Then he called 
upon me to speak, and I tried to tell them Avhat if it should be the 
last time, and read from the Psalms of David : 

" Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine ene- 
mies : thou anointest my head with oil ; my cup ruunetli over. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life : 
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." 

Then I spoke of that other blessed assurance : " Yea, thougli I 
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : 
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." 

Our hearts were gettinojvarmer and tenderer, until a sob was 
heard here and there, and even an audible cry ; and when we closed, it 
was to turn our faces to the wall and weep. When the services were 
closed, desiring to make some expression of interest to each other, 
we grasped each other's hands, and with quivering lips and flowing 
eyes, without a word, looked our sympathy and our fellowship. 

I am afraid I am using the time that belongs to others, and I 
will close as rapidly as I can by finishing the Avork of this day. 

Taking a hasty meal Avith the chaplain, an orderly came Avith 
two horses, Avhich Ave mounted, and rode on until Ave reached a 
chapel built of undi-essed cedar, in the Gothic style, by a regiment 
of engineers, Avhich, if composed of brown stone, Avould liave graced 
any avenue in New-York. It Avas thronged Avith about fifteen 
hundred people. In one Aving Avas a group of ofiicei-s, from aknost 
the highest rank in the army to the lieutenant of companies ; and 



TG M fl^emoiiial Becorid of the li ¥. Bipnch 



there Ave had a sort of dedication service of that beautiful temple to 
the Most High God, Mounting our horses, we again rode along 
the breastwork until we came to the end of the fortifications, where 
we were stopped at a fort and told : " You are now jiassing out of 
the range of our defenses. Before you reach the next work you 
will have to go under tlie fire of the rebel guns. You nmst divide 
into comj)anies of twos, put spurs to your horses, and go flying 
through the open space." And so we did, until we brought iip our 
horses j)anting at a fort which has been named, I am glad to say, 
by our enemies, who call it Fort H — ; then cutting across, we 
arrived jit another station, and dismounted. We then entered a 
chapel, which was densely crowded ; and, packed together in that 
throng, scarcely being able to move, we preached the Gospel. The 
drum-beat was heard, calling the men to quarters, but they lingered 
still ; and when one after another dropped out, by the call of duty 
summoned, some held on to us till nearly eleven o'clock, when we 
bade them an aftectionate farewell, mounted our horses, and made 
to our headquarters. 

I might dwell on this an entire evening. It is only my desire 
to present a few pictures, to show you the manner in which this 
work is done, how eagerly the blessed truth is accepted, and what 
blessed fruits were borne. Let me say that everywhere in the army 
w^e met with just such receptions and just such throngs of hearers. 
The spirit of God has gone forth in scores and scores of instances — 
yea, in hundreds and thousands. The joy of the Lord has become 
the strength of our soldiers. 

Now let me say one word of encouragement and cheer to you 
who pray for the army and the country. The day of peace is not 
far off. The rebel soldier is not the enemy of the Union soldier. 
The politician is the enemy, the leader is the adversary. Those 
men at the front will forgive from the heart, at once and forever, 
ever}'- man who will throw down his arms and return to his alle- 
giance. 

There was one scene Avhich made a great impression on my 
mind. I desire to portray it to you as best I can ; and this will be 
the last impression I wish to make upon your hearts to-night. 

Just upon a bluff, at a point of rocks not fixr from the tree under 



^)i the ^. ^. (f^lu]istiau (Commission. 11 



wliich they say Pocahontas saved the life of Captain John Smith, 
there is a hospital burying-ground. It is built round a semi-circu- 
lar mound. Standing on that mound, you look off to the north, and 
find the graves arranged in the form of a cross. Turning to the 
east, you find them again arranged in the form of a cross. Turning 
to the west, they are arranged in the same form. Turning to the 
south, they are arranged in the same form still; and between each 
pair of crosses there is a smaller cross. Here sleep the bodies of 
those who have died in the hospital. On that mound a monument 
is yet to be erected. On the north cross and the south cross sleep 
the white soldiers of the Union. On the east cross and on the west 
cross sleep the colored soldiers of the Union. On the smaller 
crosses sleep the soldiers of the insurgent rebel army. Dust to 
dust ! ashes tomshes ! I want to see upon that mound a monument 
which shall have upon it the young daughter of America, some- 
what hardened in her features and strengthened in her muscle by 
the ordeal through which she has passed ; in one hand the flag of 
our country, and in the other the cross of Christ, that in the resur- 
rection morning the white man and the colored man and the rebel 
may lift their eyes to the banner which God in his providence has 
made the sign of all our temporal welfare, and to the cross, which 
God hath made the sign of our eternal hopes. 
Mr. Phillips then saii^ the hymn entitled 

YOXJR ]\iissio:Nr. 

" If you can not, on the ocean, 

Sail among the swiftest fleet, 
Rocking on the highest billows. 

Laughing at the storms you meet ; 
You can stand among the sailors. 

Anchored yet within the bay ; 
You can lend a hand to help them, 

As they launch their boats away. 

" If you are too weak to journey 
Up the mountain steep and high, 
You can stand within the valley 
While the multitudes go by ; 



78 M ft^oiuoijial Becoud of the It ¥. Branch 



You can chant in happy measure 
As they slowly pass along : 

Though they may forget the singer, 
They Avill not forget the song. 

" If you have not gold and silver 

Ever ready to command, 
If you can not toward the needy 

Reach an ever open hand ; 
You can visit the afflicted, 

O'er the erring you can weep ; 
You can be a true disciple. 

Sitting at the Saviour's feet. 

" If you can not in the conflict 

Prove yourself a soldier true ; 
If where fire and smoke are thickest. 

There's no work for you to do ; 
When the battle-field is silent. 

You can go with careful tread ; 
You can bear away the wounded, 

You can cover up the dead. 

" Do not, then, stand idly waiting 

For some greater work to do. 
Fortune is a lazy goddess ; 

She will never come to you. 
Go and toil in any vineyard ; 

Do not fear to do or dare ; 
If you want a field of labor. 

You can find it anywhere." 



ADDRESS BY REV. G. J. MING INS. 

Mr. MingijS^s said : 

Mr. Pkesident, Ladies and GEi^TLEMEisr : It seems to me that 
we are living in clays preeminent for organizations for tlie ameliora- 
tion of the condition, and for the alleviation of the snfterings, botli 
in body, mind, and spirit, of all those who have at all been affected 
by this gigantic war through which we have been passing during 
the last four years, and the end of which, I verily believe, we see, 
through God and his instruments — Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan. 



^)t the ^. ^. (^Iniistian (Commission. 79 



I confess that a thrill of joy has passed through iny heart while 
standing on this platform, and looking in the face of this great au- 
dience as they have met here to-night to show their sympathy with 
the United States Christian Commission. Now, although intently 
listening to the remarks of the gentlemen who have preceded me, 
I could not help taking a look at the j)ast, and remembering the 
time when I first stood before the citizens of Xew-York to pre- 
sent this cause to their notice. Nay, I could not help going in 
fancy to that room in this city where this United States Christian 
Commission was first organized, and I could not help remembering 
a simple and yet a grand circumstance which brought those men 
together who organized and set in motion this institution, wdiich 
has accomplished so much good during the last three years, I 
could not help thinking of the simple question asked and answered 
by those men when they met together — men wdio were still left at 
home ; men who still had their loved ones with them ; men who had 
still their family circles round them; men who were still permitted 
to officiate as priests at their own family altars — I say, I could not 
help remembering the simple question they asked each other as they 
were gathered in this city in November, 1861. It was this : " What 
can we who are left at home do for those brave men avIio have gone 
from their homes and their loved ones, and the dear associations of 
the family circle, to stand in the front of battle, that our homes and 
our liberties and our natioiTinight be preserved unto us ?" These 
men were not merely kind men, but they Avere good men ; not 
merely benevolent men, but professing Christians, Avho came there 
not merely to ask : " What can we do to alleviate the suffering body ?" 
but men who believed that God in his Word has said, that there is 
an immortal principle locked within this casket of clay, of infinitely 
more value than all the rest of God's created tilings. They came 
there to ask, not merely what they could do for the body ; but they 
came there more especially to remember that every son, every hus- 
band, and every brother who had been taken from his home and his 
sanctuary, had a right to expect that America, as a great Christian 
nation, should do something for the soul as Avell as for the body. 
And I flmcied, sir, as I sat there, that I saw the beginning of one of 
the grandest organizations, and one of the greatest evidences of 



80 M ft'iemoiiial Becoijd of the !tf). >^ Bijanch 



practical Christianity that the world has ever witnessed, in any age, 
among any people. I fancied I heard these good men give it a 
name — a simple and yet a great name — a name fall of meaning, full 
of grandeur — and as they said, It shall he called the United jStates 
Christian Commission, I thought I heard some man of God baptize 
it the " Christian Commission, in the name of God the Father, God 
the Son, and God the Holy Ghost !" 

Now, to one who has l)een identified with the Christian Com- 
mission almost since its commencement, you will scarcely wonder 
that I am gratified to-night as I stand before you. Yoii will scarcely 
wonder that I rejoice in its prosjierity. You will scarcely wonder 
that I rejoice in the work it has accomj^lished, and esj^ecially when 
I recollect that since I made my first simple statement before the 
people of New- York upon public platforms in this city, you have 
heard the testimony of your ministers, of your merchants and your 
business men, of soldiers and ofticers and generals ; and the testi- 
mony has been always, and I believe ever will be, while it lasts and 
does its work in the spirit which promoted its organization, that it 
is a grand a noble institution. You will not wonder, dear friends, 
that I am gratified when I give you some idea of the difticulties the 
Christian Commission has had to contend against before it gained 
the standing that it has to-day. When Mr. Duryea was telling you 
the simple story of his last visit to the army, I could not help re- 
membering the simple story of my first visit to the army. 

Now, when we went down last. General Grant put his own boat 
at our disposal, and we went ploughing along the river, and visited 
the various points of importance and interest. But when I went 
down to the lines of the army first, to see what the Christian Com- 
mission could do, and how it might best accomplish the desires of 
its originators, I was met in a very difierent manner. I remember 
its introduction to the Medical Director at Fortress Monroe, early 
in 1862. We had then no printed commission. When Ave arrived 
at Baltimore we had hard work to obtain a pass to Fortress Mon- 
roe ; and the moment we set foot on land at the latter jilace, we 
were marched, like a file of Indians, to the Provost-Marshal's office, 
and there made to take the oath of allegiance to the United States 
Government, before they would permit us to open our mouths. I 



the '^. ^. (ghijistian Commission. 81 



fancied at that time, and I believe 3^et, that Ave were a very good- 
looking set of gentlemen that were sent. I remember, after we had 
taken the oath of allegiance and got out, we found we could not go 
anyAvhere but that we Avere bumping up against a sentry at almost 
every corner, and Avere asked, every hundred or a thousand yards, 
for our passes. AVell, Ave Avent back to the Provost-Marshal and 
told him : " We can not go anyAvhere." And he replied : " I knoAv 
it." We said : " We wanted to see the Medical Director, and avc 
tried to get into the Fortress." " I know it." We said : " Well, but, 
sir, can't you give us a pass by Avhich Ave may obtain an intervicAV 
Avith the Medical Director of this post ?" " Who are you ?" he asked. 
We replied : " We are delegates of the United States Christian Com- 
mission," And he said : " What's that ?" ISToav, I Avill guarantee that 
you can not find a division, a brigade, a regiment, a company, or a 
squad of men in one of the armies of America, that to-day can not tell 
you Avhat the Christian Commission is — ay, and a great deal concern, 
ing it. But at last he gave us a pass, and w^e Avent into the Fortress. 
We felt very strange ; and at last Ave obtained an intervicAV Avith the 
Medical Director. Well, Ave stood in his office. In a brusque man- 
ner he looked up and said : " Well, gentlemen, Avhat can I do for 
you?" One became spokesman. I did not; I Avas afraid. I had 
had enough of this " bluffing off." From that day to this I have had 
a Avholesome fear of a miliary man AA'hen sitting in an office, with a 
quill behind his ear instead of a SAVord in his hand. I can face him 
Avith a SAVord, but I can not bear him Avith a quill. " What do you 
Avant ?" said he. An Episcopalian minister stepped forAvard, and 
began to tell him that Ave Avere delegates of the Christian Commis- 
sion. I do not knoAv Avhether he thought he would astonish the 
Medical Director, but I can bear testimony that he did not astonish 
him. He just said Avhat the Provost-lMarshal had said before him : 
" Whafs that ? Avhat is the Christian Commission ?" We told him 
then Avhat it was. He replied : " Gentlemen ! gentlemen ! gentlemen ! 
Avhat do you Avant doAvn here ? what do you want doAvn here ?" 
Then this gentleman gave him a pretty good idea of Avhat we 
wanted. Then he rose, put doAvn his pen, and said : " So, gentle- 
men, you have come doAvn here to see AA'hat you can do for those 
poor felloAvs Avho are lying sick and Avounded ?" " Precisely so," I 



S2 M ^hmom\ Bccoijd of the 1. ¥. Bi|anch 



ventured to remark. He said : "Ay. Well, who are you, in the 
first jilace ?" We told him that we were four elergymeu and three 
laymen, rejjresenting some four or five denominations. When we 
talked of " clergymen," I noticed a smile flitting round the corners 
of his mouth. And, as he remembered that we had asserted that 
we were ready to do any thing that was required for these sick and 
wounded soldiers, said he : " You want to do something ?" We re- 
sponded in the afiirmative. " Then I will give you work in ten 
minutes. There are three hundred sick and wounded men lying on 
board one of the transports at the wharf I want three men to ac- 
company them to New- York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore. I don't 
know where they are going. You will get your orders Avhen you 
are on board. Will you go ?" Three gentlemen immediately vol- 
unteered. He said : " Gentlemen, do you know what you are going 
to do ? You are not going to preach, mind. I tell you what — I 
want yovi three gentlemen as nurses." He looked into their eyes, 
but they never flinched. Two of them were clergymen. These 
men proceeded on board of that transport, and there the other four 
stood. I hapi^ened to be among those who were left. " Now," said 
the Medical Director, "gentlemen, if you are ready to do just as 
those three gentlemen have promised, I am ready to give you work. 
But mark, gentlemen," he said, " mark me. I want men who will 
wash wounds, who will scrub floors, if necessary — in fact, to per- 
form the duties of a hired nurse — and then, after you have done 
that, I have no objection at all that you put into practice any 
higher mission that you may have." 

He gave us a pass into the hospitals. We divided. We went into 
the hosjiitals, walked from cot to cot, nursed the men, washed their 
faces, dressed their wounds, changed their clothing — and that was the 
first work the Christian Commission ever accomplished in the lines of 
the army, after it was organized in the city of New- York, in 1861. A 
few days after that, the Medical Director sent for us. He received us in 
a very diflerent manner, or rather there was a kinder tone in his voice, 
and a little more deference was paid to the delegates of the Christ- 
ian Commission. He said: "Now you will have a pass by which 
you can go through the lines of the army. Now, I want you to 
leave this place and go to Yorktown, where we have three thousand 



the '(^. ^. ^hi|i8tian (Commission. 83 



men — many sick, suftering from typhoid fever and clironic dysen- 
tery." I and the others ^\'ent tliere ; and day after day, and week 
after week, we continued to serve the sohliers and the Government 
as nurses in that fever-tainted camp. Well, two or three weeks 
elapsed, when the Medical Director, having now full confidence in 
the Christian Commission, so far as it had exhibited its manner and 
method of working up to that time, sent for us. Said he : " Gentle- 
men, if you can continue this thing ; if you can enlist the sympa- 
thies of the Christian people ; if you can combine the body and the 
soul — give a man bread to eat here on earth, and give him bread 
that shall keep him from being hungry through all eternity, you 
will do a grand and glorious thing, and organize a Commission that 
will go down in history with the benedictions of the people resting 
upon its head." 

Now, I want to say here, that tlie Christian Commission has 
never altered its plan, and has always been the same in that respect. 
To-day the question is asked and answered — asked by every green 
delegate that goes to the lines of the army, and answered by every 
agent and every man who xanderstands its Avork : " What am I to 
do ?" And here is the answer : " Do all you can for body, mind, and 
spirit among the soldiers of the army." It was a very hard thing, 
ladies and gentlemen, to make a Christian people at home and 
members of the Church at home believe — ay, and to convince 
many clergymen, as I kiloVv — that this Christian Commission was 
needed, and was doing a great work to body and soul. Many 
used to laugh at the idea of taking clergymen into the army. 
Many used to sneer at men who ^s^ent down to preach to our sol- 
diers. Mr. President, that day has passed ; that day has gone by 
forever ! No man possessing common-sense or common honesty, 
save he be an infidel in principle, will laugh at the idea of taking- 
Christ into the army, and preaching those things which make for 
the eternal peace of the hosts of men who have gone forth to deatli 
for our deliverance. This is gratifying, not only to myself, but to 
all those who have taken a deep interest in the United States Christ- 
ian Commission, as they have watcluMl its pi-ogress and its pros- 
perity. 

Now you know, my dear friends who have heard me before, 



84 M fUemoijial Becoiid of the ti ¥. Biianch 



that I am not apt to deal in figures. I like to deal in facts. And 
yet to-niglit I want to show you the progress of the United States 
Christian Commission, by offering for your consideration a few fio"- 
ures, and then backing them up with a few facts. And you will 
see, by these figures and facts, how the Christian Commission has 
grown upon the peoj)le ; how it has magnified its work ; how it has 
concentrated, as it were, the great work of the Christian Church ; 
and how its progress must and will be onward, until this war is 
over. 

From November, 1861, until May, 1862, it had spent about 1700. 
That was all it could get. It spent $700, because it could not get 
anymore. It was either 1700 or $1100 — I will not be sure which — 
but either 1700 or $1100 passed through the treasury of the United 
States Christian Commission, from November, 1861, to May, 1862. 
In 1862, after it had obtained an entrance into the army in the man- 
ner I have just described, it sent 356 delegates to the army; in 1803, 
it sent 1267 delegates ; in 1864, it sent 2217. The aggregate number 
of days of service of these delegates in 1862, was 11,593 ; in 1863, 
41,000; and in 1864, 78,860. It distributed tracts, pamphlets, and 
publications, in 1862,3696; in 1863,12,648; and in 1864,57,103. 
It sent into the ai'my, in 1862, 102,560 copies of the Scriptures ; in 
1863, 465,715; and in 1864, 569,594. It sent into the array bound 
library books, for hospital use, in 1862, 3450; 1863, 39,713; 1864, 
93,872. It sent, in 1862, 34,653 magazines and pamphlets; in 1863, 
120,492 ; and in 1864, 346,536 ; religious newspapers, in 1862, 384,- 
781; in 1863, 2,931,409; and in 1864, 7,990,758; making a grand 
total of religious papers distributed in the army and navy, 11,307,- 
008. I do not Avant to tell you how many packages of tracts it dis- 
tributed. I Avant to give you an idea of the money it has received ; 
and thus you will see how it has jirogressed in the affections of the 
people, because all along the Christian Commission has depended 
entirely for its supplies on the simple and plain statement of its 
doings, placed before the people of America by its returned dele- 
gates. Cash received during the year 1862,140,160.29; in 1803, 
$358,239.29 ; in 1864,$1,297,755.28— upward of thirty-two times 
as much as that received in 1862 — $40,000 in 1862, and $1,297,755 
in 1864! Value of stores donated in 1862, $142,150; in 1864, 



<(|)£ the ^t. $. (^bi|istian (Commission. 85 



$1,169,508, in round nnmbers. Now, as to the value of the Scrip- 
tures distributed, I want particuhirly to call your attention to those 
donated by the American Bible Society in 18G2, which amounted 
to SlO,256 ; in 1863, $45,671 ; in 1864, $72,114.83— making the grand 
donation of the American Bible Society to the United States Christ- 
ian Commission, |127,442.33. And I do pray, that when the Amer- 
ican Bible Society comes before the people of New-York in May, at 
its anniversary, the Almighty will open the hearts of the great and 
the good and the rich of this city to give them far more money this 
year than they have donated in Bibles and Testaments to the United 
States Christian Commission during its existence, or may donate 
during the war. 

I want to give you an item of the value of the delegates' serv- 
ices. We present this to show you how much we have saved by 
giving a man next to nothing for his work. I once heard it de- 
clared on a platform, before hundreds of intelligent men and wo- 
men, by a person well known, that he did not think men could be 
obtained Avho would work for nothing. Now, if jon could just go 
down to the lines of the army, you would find men working for 
next to nothing. I remember once going into a tent, and I saw 
sitting upon the damp floor — for it was a wet day — some four or 
five soldiers. They were reading books. I looked over the shoul- 
der of one, and I observe^ he was reading a Greek Testament. I 
said : " What are you reading there ?'' He held up the book, and 
replied : " Can't you see ?" I said : " I did not ask you that question. 
What are you reading?" He answered: "A Greek Testament." 
" Can you read Greek ?" said I. " Yes ; I ought to." " Why ?" 
I asked. " Because," he replied, " more than one professor has been 
thumping at my head for years, to knock Greek into it." I asked 
him where he came from, and he told me. Next I asked him what 
position he held in the army, and he held up his arms, and said : 
" Can't you tell ?" I saw he had on a private's uniform. I said : 
" Only a private ?" He was the son of a gentleman. He was an 
educated man, and had almost gradviated at college in his last year. 
He had left college, gone into the army, and joined the ranks. He 
had fouglit until the sliirt he wore was any thing but white, and his 
coat was torn. Wlien I said " Only a private," the man's eyes 



80 M mamoxM Becord of the % ¥. limnch 



flashed and his cliceks flushed, as he replied : " Yes, sir, only a pri- 
vate ; but I look beyond that. I hope in God that I am a patriot, 
and that is more than a private !" (Applause.) Now, friends, you 
can find hundreds of such men. I once passed a honse in Connec- 
ticut, surronnded by a garden and beautiful pleasure-grounds. I 
made inquiry as to whom it belonged, and the answer given me 
was : " To Private So-and-so." I asked how much he was worth, 
and was answered a million and a half, and that he was marching 
and fighting in the army as a private. It is a libel—to say nothing 
more harsh — upon such men as these, when it is aftirmed they work 
for pay. If they entered the army for pay, they must be mad. 
They shoiJd be placed in a lunatic asylum, and have all their mo- 
ney taken from them, because they do not know how to make a 
projier use of it. Catch a man leaving his home, and all the luxuries 
that a millionaire can command, to enter the army as a private, and 
work for pay ! Now, then, we have made something by men who 
were willing to work for nothing. The value of a delegate's serv- 
ices — that is, what we would have had to pay a man at the lowest 
computation, say one dollar and fifty cents a day, had he taken the 
money — amounts to two hundred and sixty-three thousand seven 
hundred dollars. That we have saved. That has gone to the sol- 
dier, and not to the delegates ; that has gone to the army, and has 
not staid at home ; that has clothed, fed, nourished, and com- 
forted the soldier ; that has been sent down to the army as a living 
evidence of the grandest patriotism — a patriotism which is prompt- 
ed by hearts that love both God and man. Then, there is another 
thing which clearly demonstrates the progress and the strength of 
the Christian Commission. l!i 1862, we had telegraphic facilities 
amounting to thirty-six hundred dollars. In 1864, the stock is up 
with the Christian Commission. They have struck oil, (laughter,) 
and the telegraph companies permitted them to send messages to 
the amoimt of twenty-six thousand four hundred and fifty dollars. 

Now, I have given these figures, dear friends, because we are 
told they never lie. I have given you them because I know you 
can not reach the pocket of a rich business man unless you hit his 
head, that is, if he be a sensible man, I would not give a fig for 
tliat man, be he lay or clerical, who is composed of such coiubusti- 



^)i the '(fJ. ,^. (ghiiisitiau (Commission. R7 

. I 

ble materials that lie goes oW like a match— first shows a little 
light, and then is all smoke ; and when you look for him, instead of 
seeing the fair proportions of a great man, you behold nothnig but 
the ashes of the great. I have mentioned these figures, because 
they reach the thinking, meditative business man. 

Now for a few facts, and I will close. It is so long since I have 
spoken before a New- York audience that you must pardon me, for 
I feel rather frightened to-night. I have not often been frightened, 
but I am to-night ; and probably I shall mention facts that I have 
presented before. But I do not care for that, for they are still of 
the same power, as showing, conclusively, the progress of the 
Christian Commission. These are the facts : The Government to- 
day fully indorses the Christian Commission ; and more than that : 
the Government fully sympathizes with it in all its work. Once 
the day was, when we approached the officer high in position, and 
stood in his presence, he said : " AVell, gentlemen, we don't know 
any thing about this matter. We must bo exceedingly careful ; for 
you must be aware that, if this thing slips in, and then another, 
and another, we shall have all America after our soldiers, and we 
can't allow that." I say, that they have not only indorsed it, but 
we possess their sympathy. Before I went to California, I had the 
honor of speaking in the Capitol at Washington. Near to me sat 
an old man— not very handsome, as the world counts beauty ; and 
not very straight as he sat, but who is ahvays straight when he 
puts his foot down, and rests upon principle. He sat there, a rug- 
ged-looking man, one who did not affect kid gloves very much, and 
yet there was something grand and noble in him, as you watched 
the lines of his quivering countenance. I say " quivering counte- 
nance," because I saw his lip more than once shake. I saw his eyes 
grow bright more than once as the simple story of the Christian 
Commission's Avork was detailed in his hearing ; and, at last, I wit- 
nessed more than one sign that the great man stooped to weep, and 
thereby proved himself both good and great. And, after that meet- 
ing was over, how my heart thrilled and my lip shook, when 
that man took me by the hand, and said : " It is a great work ; 
God bless it !" That man Abraham Lincoln. (Applause.) T say, 
therefore, that we have more than the mere indorsement of the 



88 M ^ijemoijial Bccoi;d of the '% ¥. BVianch 



Government — we have its sympathy. Now, wlicn the Christian 
Commission goes into tlie Provost-Marshal's office, they are not 
afraid of the quill any more than they are of the sword. Why ? 
Because it is known ; because it is thoroughly understood, and be- 
cause it is appreciated by the General and the officers of the army, 
I told you just now that General Grant gave that delegation his 
own steamboat. Wherever we landed there were horses for tlie 
delegation to get on, and, as my friend Duryea says : " We could go 
like the wind." I am not a good horseman, and I should havemucli 
preferred an ambulance ; nevertheless, I kept up with them, al- 
though I tliouglit that my back was broken as I went over tliose 
corduroy roads along that long line of intrenchments. But in 18G2 
tliey would not liave given us a donkey, if they had had one. 
(Laughter.) W^hy '? Because they did not know the Christian 
Commission, and these men are careful to let nothing into the army 
that would not do it good, if they can help it. I need not waste 
time in presenting to you tlie testimony of such officers as How- 
ard, Meade, Patrick, and scores of others, who have written their 
names upon the scroll of fime. Now, when we go in, the officers 
receive us. I preaclied at a cavalry station on the Sabbath which 
Mr, Duryea has described, and I shall never forget it. When I 
first preached, I confess I used to stand upon a cracker-box, and 
preach to privates. The first thing I saw when I entered that tent 
was the star of a General, who was surrounded by his stafl!", and 
there were very many officers in the midst of that company. Now, 
I do not mean to say, and I do not wish you so to understand me, 
that officers are just becoming religious. I do not mean that at 
all. But I mean now that they thoroughly understand this organi- 
zation, and that they have confidence in it. They have proved their 
confidence by their presence, and aid the work with the soldier. 
At night I preached, and the church was again thronged with sol- 
diers and officers ; and I think every man who composed the choir, 
and stood up to sing the praises of redeeming love, wore a shoul- 
der-strap. I thank God, as one of those men who have borne the 
burden in the heat of tlie day for the Christian Commission, that 
they stood there, and thus indorsed its great and glorious Avork. 
The soldiers love and esteem it. When I used to tell you here, 



^i the '(^. $. (^hijistiau ^umnilssion. 8i) 



tATO years ago, how accessible the soldiers were, I know that some 
men went away, and said: "Well, that is going rather for now." 
Men have said to me : "Do yon mean to say just that?" And I 
said, " Yes." " Do you mean to say that the soldiers are so accessi- 
ble that you can get a congregation to preach to almost at any 
time ?" And I said, " Yes." And my heart is gladdened when a 
man like this, (Mr. Duryea,) Avhom you all know, one of your own 
clergymen, tells you that while he was eating his dinner the Briga- 
dier-General called out his brigade to listen to the blessed Word. 
And when I stood there to preach to a regiment of our colored 
brethren, almost within gun-shot of the enemy, I realized it was as 
true to-day as it ever was, that the soldiers loved and respected 
the Christian Commission. I was talking to one of them as I stood 
in Fort Harrison. He was a colored soldier. I said, (pointing to 
them,) " I suppose these are the works of the enemy ;" and he said, 
" Yes." " How do you get along down here ?" " Very well, indeed," 
re|Dlied he. " Do you know the Christian Commission ?" I inquired. 
" Oh ! yes," said he, " know it — of course I do. Why, there is their 
chapel, and I go to school to the Christian Commission." I then 
asked him : " What do you think of it ?" " Well, it is a bully thing," 
said ho. (Laughter.) I said to that same soldier: "I supj^ose now 
that these forts, and the line of intrenchments over there, would re- 
quire a pretty tough fight-to take them ?" He looked at me seri- 
ously for a moment, and replied : " Just you look here ; at any time 
that the old man (that is. General Grant) wants those 'ar forts, they 
can be tuck." I said : " Who will take them ?" He answered : " Us 
boys !" I turned to a Avhite soldier, who stood by smiling, and 
asked : " Is that so ?" He said : " I tell you, they are bully on a 
charge !" And I want to indorse here what Mr. Duryea said. It 
is delightful to hear the white soldier's testimony of his colored 
brother, and delightful to see the commingling of the great bro- 
therhood of patriots that has been brought about by this great 
war. I tell you there is nothing like showing a man the stulf of 
which his fellow is made, to give him that respect that God de- 
mands from him toward his brother. The Christian Commission is 
all right in the Army and in the Navy. The soldiers and sailors 
believe in it. Here is another fact : the wives and mothers believe 



90 M ft'^cmorial Bccoiid of the H. ¥. Bijanch 



in it. We liave lately commenced organizing a Ladies' Christian 
Commission, I am one of those who believe (and I may be hetero- 
dox in this respect) that tliongh it was born in a room in tliis city, 
wliere none were present but men, it was taken a babe in long 
clothes, and nursed by women until it reached its present great 
strength and stature. I believe that whatever men had to do with 
it there, it has been borne up upon the prayers of the women of 
America ; and I do know for a fact, that if we coiild separate the 
women's gifts from those of the men, the latter would look small 
in comparison, as they stood in separate columns. A widow once 
approached me, after I had made a sjieech, and, taldng me by the 
liand, said : " Sir, I do thank God for the Christian Commission. I 
had three sons ; two went to the Avar. I know not where they 
have laid one of them. I know not where his grave is. All I 
know is, that a comrade came to me and told me that he had seen 
him fall and die, and that the rebel hordes trampled over his bleed- 
ing body. I know Avhere the other is. He fell also, bravely de- 
fending the flag of his country ; but they sent him home, and I Avas 
permitted to kiss liis cold cheek, permitted to folloAV him to the 
grave, and lay him in quiet in the City of the Dead, Avliere Iiis fa- 
ther rests ; and I knoAV I shall see him Avhen I reach the mansions 
in the sky. But oh ! I Avonder from Avhat quarter the other will 
come. I flmcy, as I ascend, I Avill be looking all round Avatdiing 
Avliere George will come from. But this I Avill say, that tlie Christ- 
ian Commission Avatched over them both, cared for them botli, suc- 
cored them both, and I bless it ! Another is groAving up ; he is but 
fifteen. I have hard Avork to keep him out of the army, but, Avhen 
strong enough, I do not Avant to keep him out. This is God's war, 
and the Christian Commission is his instrumentality." In a Avord, 
dear friends, the Christian Commission has the sympatliy and the 
support of the people, from Maine to Oregon. This is the simple 
fact ; for I can say, Avithout egotism, that I have presented the 
cause of that Commission from Portland, Maine, to the borders of 
Idaho, through Washington, Nevada, Oregon, and California. I 
once talked Christian Commission to a native of Central America, 
and if I could have brought oranges away, I might have had a 
ship-load of them for nothing. Wherever I liave gone, it has been 



the '(^. $. (^hijistian (|iommi$sion. 91 



hard work, for I have tallced two or three times every Suutlay, and 
three or four times every week during the hist ten mouths, besides 
being jolted over very bad roads. I never saw such roads in the 
army as I crossed in going over the mountains of Oregon, to pre- 
sent the cause of the Christian Commission. I have travelled three 
^, hundred miles in a stage over very bad roads ; but wherever I went, 
whether in the miner's cabin or in the great and grand cities of the 
Pacific Coast, Avhich contain a great, a noble, and a Christian peo- 
ple—wherever I went, I was welcome. I shall never forget the 
genuine hospitality that I experienced on the Pacific Coast. At 
first they had a wrong notion about it. I am not going to say 
how they received it. At first there was opposition to it, because 
they had an idea that we only gave tracts on dancing to soldiers 
without legs. When we corrected that impression, and got at the 
truth, the largest collection, Mr. President, that was ever taken at 
one time for the United States Christian Commission at its first 
presentation, was in San Francisco. The first time a collection was 
taken up we got twenty thousand dollars that night for the Clirist- 
ian Commission : that is, we got nearly nine thousand dollars in 
gold, and I very soon tumbled that over into greenbacks at about 
two dollars and thirty cents. They have given freely on the Paci- 
fic Coast, and liave shown their interest in the Commission by the 
manner of their gifts. ,.-- 

I want to close with a little incident, showing you how this 
work gets into a man's heart, gets hold of him, and brings him iip 
to the measure of a true man. There are two kinds of men upon 
earth that I can not get along with. One is a stingy man, and the 
other is a growler. A growler I can not countenance at all, because 
he is neither useful nor ornamental ; and I know that God will have 
nothing to do with a stingy man, save that he is holding a rod over 
him against that day when he will require an account of his stew- 
ardship. 

I went once to address an audience in a little town or hamlet in 
Oregon. I shall never forget when I arrived there, and looked ever 
that hamlet. I asked myself, and the minister who was in the 
wagon with me, the question : "Am I to talk here to-night '?"■ "' Of 
course you are,' he responded. I said : " Pray, Avhom am I to talk 



92 J>i ^hn\o\\\ii\ Becoi;d of the li y. Br^anch 



to — whom am I to address ?" He said : " What do you mean by ask- 
ing that question ?" I replied : " Do you call tliis a town ? He 
replied : " Don't be fastidious ; we are only a few years old ; we are 
just commencing. Yes, that is a town ; we call it so. Hold on 
until you see the audience, before you begin to grumble." I went 
to take supper in the log-house of the frontier-man ; and then I. 
entered the little building which was used for a school-room, lec- 
ture-room, and chapel, and I found it well filled. Probably there 
were a hundred there. Many of them had come miles over the 
country — I will not say how deeply clothed in mud. I talked to 
them ; told them the simple story of the Commission. It was all 
new, save to those who had read of our doings in the religious 
papers. After I had finished, I said : " Now, there will be an op- 
portunity afforded you to give what you can for the Christian 
Commission." The hat was sent round. They did not go to the 
expense of plates, covered with puce-colored velvet, but they took 
a hat. It was passed round, and it came back with iip wards of two 
hundred dollars in hard cash, gold and silver. When that Avas 
taken up, I observed that an old man got fidgety. After a time, 
he got up and said: " Well, now, men, I have just heard what this 
man has said about the Christian Commission. It appears to me 
that it takes a wonderful hold on a man's heart, and I have been 
thinking what we have been doing for our country. Here we are, 
away olf on the Pacific slope, divided by the deserts on the one 
hand, and the ocean on the other, from this terrible Avar. Here we 
have our homes, humble enough though they be. Here Ave have 
our sons and brothers, and loved ones. Here Ave have no desola- 
tion, no army sweeping over our fields, no foes burning our houses. 
And hoAvis it, men, that we are thus left to ourselves, enjoying 
peace ? Why, because somebody else's houses are being burnt 
doAvn, somebody else's cornfields are being trampled down, and 
somebody else's sons and brothers are standing in front of the foe. 
This has made me feel bad. You knoAV I am poor, and that I can 
not give much, but I Avill give something to this Christian Commis- 
sion." Turning to me, he said: ''■I loill give Bolger P' I did not 
understand him. I thought, at first, he meant a bull-dog ; and if 
there be any thing in the world that I abhor, it is a bull-dog ; and 



W the {$. ^. Pn\\st'm\ (Commission. 93 



I was going to say I did not want liim. He said, " You know Bol- 
ger ?" and I saw the heads of the frontier-men bow. " I have used 
him many a day over these hills. I have got to give him. Boys ! 
who will give any thing for Bolger, that old horse I like so .?" And 
one said : "I will give a hundred dollars in gold." He was knocked 
down for a hundred dollars in gold ; which amount found its way 
to the Christian Commission. I went home that night, and slept 
in the frontier-man's log-house. I always fancy, when I get into 
the fine houses here, and see the velvet hangings, Brussels carpets, 
the plate, and other luxuries of life, how different was that frontier- 
man's house. I have slept with a whole f\imily in one room, they 
paying me the compliment of hanging a curtain along the posts of 
my bed, and so I retired, comparatively in retirement. I got up the 
next morning, took breakfast, and was ready to start. As I Avas 
going out, the old man touched me on the sleeve, and said : " I want 
you to come into the kitchen for a moment." I followed him in, 
and he gave me a chair. His Avife Avas also present. I observed 
that he Avas affected about something. At last he said : "I have 
been troubled all night. I have been thinking of home ; of those 
poor bleeding boys ; of those desolate hearthstones ; of those sad- 
dened hearts. I have been thinking of those mourning Avidows ; 
of those pale-faced orphans ; and I tell you, sir, J have been in 
trouble, and am yet. Lasi^iight I gave Avhat I could for the Christ- 
ian Coniniiss'wu, but I Jind that I must give more.''"' And he took 
out a little roscAvood case, sprung the lid, and there I saw, nestling 
upon its velvet cushion, a beautiful gold Avatch. Then the old man 
said : " Two years ago, I had saA^ed up money enough, and I bought 
it. I Avanted a good Avatch, and I thought I ought to liaA^e it, I 
had been Avanting it for many and many a year ; but I have never 
Avorn it yet, and I Avill never Avear it Avhile there is a man in my 
country suffering, and I can aid him. Take it, sirP'' I said : " No; 
you ought not to do so. You haA'e given Avhat you could ; and God 
approves the cheerful gift." He said : " You must take it, sir. Wife 
and I talked about it all night ; and this morning, Avhen Ave got up, 
Ave put the Avatch ujion our bed, and knelt down, and consecrated 
it to God and our country. It must go ; and if you Avill not take 
it, T Avill send it to the first Christian Commission that I can hear 



9-1 M 9th\nma\ Becord oi the li 1. Branch 



of." I said : " What shall I do with it ?" He said : " Give it to the 
Cliristian Commission." On another occasion I was presented by a 
widow with a beautiful velvet cloak, for which, she told me, in her 
better days she had given five hundred dollars. She said : " I have 
worn it once, but can not wear it again. It is the widow's mite ; 
take it, and sell it." I took both of them, and gave them to the 
Committee in Portland, and, at the Ladies' Festival held there, the 
watch and the cloak were sold, and the money came into the Trea- 
sury of the Christian Commission. I would say, in concluding this 
branch of my subject, that on the Pacific shore the people know all 
about the Christian Commission. They have got the grand idea 
into their minds, and their oflerings in seven months to the Christ- 
ian Commission amounted to one hundred and forty thousand dol- 
lars. 

IsTow, friends, in conclusion, let me say to you, that this Commis- 
sion is prospering, and must prosper, because God indorses it and 
its work, and the people are determined that it shall not want 
means ! And yet, Mr. President, to-night we stand before the citi- 
zens of New-York with an almost empty treasury. The Committee 
of the Christian Commission of New-York stand here, and appeal 
to you for help. Are you aware that the Committee of New- York 
liave cared for the army and the navy of our country, as it has 
been scattered from Connecticut to Texas ? — as it has been scat- 
tered along that vast line of sea-coast — that they have cared for it 
nobly ? That the Committee have worked and labored, and given 
their time, their means, and their sympathies abundantly ? There 
is no man on this Committee — and I say it to their praise — who 
ever asked a dollar from any man, until he had put his hand deeply 
into his own pocliet. Now, they come to you to-night, and ask mo 
to put my hand into your pockets. My modesty will not allow of 
such a thing; but can't I touch your hearts? Can't I make you 
show by your acts, just how much you are willing to indorse and 
uphold this Christian Commission ? Are you aware that in oar na- 
tional horizon the shafts of Avar are beginning to leap up, and the 
last thundering of American patriots against the bulwark of trea- 
son is about to be launched forth ? Are you aware that Grant, 
like an iron ariant, stands watchino- the crouchino^ foe, disaffected 



'(i)l the i^t ^. (Bhrjstinn (f^ommission. 95 



and almost in despair ? Are you aware that Sherman, with the 
stalk of the lion, is coming up, and is about to make his last 
spring, and, settling upon the throat of infernal treason, forever 
squeeze out its life-blood, no longer to be known upon the soil 
of Washington ? (Applause.) Are you aware that Sheridan is 
closing in upon the insolent foe that dares to tramj^le upon the 
rights guaranteed unto all men hj God and by our Constitution ? 
Are you aware that many nerves are being strung with high ex- 
pectations that, putting on the front of war, they are about to go 
forth with steady tread and determined victory ? Are you aware 
that the fortifications, as the colored man said — no, I will not say 
" colored man," but as the American citizen of African descent said 
— "are to be too/cP^ (Applause.) If so, in God's name, in the name 
of humanity, I ask you to send this angel of mercy — this Christian 
Commission — laden with those things that are absolutely necessary 
for the comfort of the brave men who are going to dare and do 
every thing for us, I pray God that this may be the last time you 
will be asked to give. I pray God that the next time I stand be- 
fore such an audience as this, I may sing with thousands the praises 
of victory. I want to be rid of this war. I am tired of the smell 
of blood. I am tired of the desolation that war brings. I am 
tired of the hearts wrung with anguish. I am tired of the graves 
that stare one in the face^ every yard we march upon the James, 
or alono; in front of Richmond. I am tired of hearing wives mourn 
for their husbands, I am tired of hearing little ones lisp : " When 
will papa come home ?" I am tired of seeing widowhood in weeds. 
I am tired of beholding old men going down to the grave in sorrow. 
I am tired of this din, and clash, and circumstance of wai\ I am 
tired of this audience, tired of my preaching, tired of my begging 
for these poor men. I am tired of my beseeching you to give to 
them those things that are necessary : and I want to be at rest, I 
want to get back to my own work, to stand in some place and talk 
of Jesus in times of peace. I want to lift up the sin-atoning Lamb 
in cities where there is no talk of war ; and in villages where the 
• sweet tones of the Sabbath bell are unmingled with the cries of the 
dying. I want to get rid of it. Do you? Then give to-night. 
Give to-night, and let us go forth furnished with every thing that 



96 ^ ^emor.ial Becoijcl of the '% '^. Bijanch 



is necessary. Let New-York do as she ouglit to do, Mr, Chairman. 
I know what she has given. I know what she has sacrificed. But 
I want you to put the last shot in the locker of tlie Christian Com- 
mission, and to let it flash along the cords of the Associated Press 
that one hundred thousand dollars have been given as the thank- 
offering of New-York to the soldiers to finish up this Avar ; so that 
the time may come Avhen you and I, welcoming these men back 
again, as we grasp their hands, may hear them say : " God bless 
you ! God bless you ! You aided us in our sore distress. God 
bless you !" And oh ! may we soon hear benedictions from return- 
ed volunteers falling upon this great city for its last great gift ! 
Oh! give to-night, and may God bless you ! (Applause.) 

William A. Booth, Esq., said : 

I desire to present these resolutions without remark, except to 
to say that I am confident they will meet a response in every heart 
throughout the house. Mr. Booth then read 

THE EESOLUTIOXS. 

Resolved, That in the mighty conflict in which this nation is involved, we acknow- 
ledge with deep gratitude the evidence of the Divine approval of our cause, and the 
prospect of its speedy and triumphant success. 

Resolved, That we deem it the duty as it is the privilege of all our citizens, to ren- 
der every possible aid and comfort to the bodies and souls of the brave men who, on 
land and on sea, have periled their lives to save and protect our common country. 

Resolved, That in the objects and labors of the Christian Commission, we recognize 
a lofty patriotism and an impressive illustration of the spirit and power of the Gospel 
of Christ. 

Resolved, That it be urged upon our community to aid, by their earnest prayers and 
generous contributions, this Commission in accomplishing its noble and Christ-like pur- 
poses. 

The Peeside]vt : I am requested to say to the audience tliat 
the duly appointed collectors will be known by a badge of blue 
ribbon. I would also say that there has been neither time nor 
opportunity to distribute cards fully throughout tlie house, but the 
collectors here have been furnished with cards, so that if any gen- 
tleman chooses to subscribe, and put his name to a card, he can 
have it from any of the collectors. During the collection a hymn 



®f the i|t. $. (Plnjlstian (pommission. 97 



will be sung by Mr, Phillips ; and after the collection the Battle- 
Hymn will be sung. 

Mr. Phillips then sung the hymn entitled : 

" There's a sound among tlic forest trees." 

The Presiden^t : I am requested to give notice that if, hereaf- 
ter, any person feels disposed to subscribe, he can do so by sending 
his contribution to Mr. James M. Brown, 56 Wall street. 

In the absence of Mr. McCabe, the "Battle-Hymn" was sung 
by Mr. Phillips, after which the President pronounced tlie benedic- 
tion. 

The Chairman of the Executive Committee, having for a long 
period, in addition to all his other labors, performed the duties of 
Secretary, and finding his health giving w\ay, requested to be re- 
lieved of this part of the work, which request was readily granted. 

The Eev. II. Dyer, D.D., was appointed Corresponding Secre- 
tary, and immediately entered upon the duties of the office. Dr. 
Dyer continued to hold this position till the work of the Com- 
mission was brought to a close. 

The Treasurer of the Commission, James M. Brown, Esq., be- 
ing about to visit Europe, to be absent for a year or more, resign- 
ed his office. The Secretary was requested to express, in behalf 
of the Committee, to Mr. Brown, their high appreciation of his 
services, and their deep regret that circumstances rendered it 
necessary for him to retire from the office of Treasurer. 

In compliance with this request, the following letter was ad- 
dressed to Mr. Brown : 

" James M. Bkown, Esq. : 

" My Dear Sir: At a meeting of the Executive Committee of 
the New-York Branch of the Christian Commission, held this 
morning, the following action was taken, which T was requested to 
communicate to you. 
7 



98 ^ f^emorlal Becord of tho B. If. Bi;anch 



" The resignation of James M. Brown, Esq., as Treasurer of this 
Branch of tlie Christian Commission, having been referred to the 
Executive Committee with power, it was, for the reasons set forth 
in his letter, accepted. The Committee then proceeded to the 
aj^pointment of a successor, whereupon Morris K. Jessup, Esq., was 
unanimously elected. 

" In accepting your resignation, the Committee desire that I 
sliould express to you their deep sense of obligation for your long- 
continued and most efficient services. They sincerely regret that 
circumstances require you to retire from the post you have so sat- 
isfactorily filled before the work of the Commission is fully closed. 
But they feel truly grateful that you have been enabled to continue 
your A^aluable aid for so long a period. It is but just to say, that 
the use of your name and that of your honored House, has been of 
material service to the interests of the Commission. 

" In your absence from the country, jon will bear with you the 
high respect and cordial sympathy of those with whom you have 
been so long and so pleasantly associated. May every blessing 
attend you and yours ! 

" I am sincerely and truly yours, II. Dyer, Secretary. 

" Neav-Yoek, May 24, 1865." 

Mr, Jessup kindly consented to accept tlie office of Treasurer, 
and discharged its duties most satisfactorily till the close of the 
Commission. 

After the surrender of the armies of General Lee and General 
Johnston, the war was rapidly brought to a close. Within a few 
weeks the Government commenced removing the troops from vari- 
ous parts of the South, so that the work of the Commission was 
soon confined to comparatively few localities. In June, 1865, the 
Committee issued directions to the agents of the different depart- 
ments, to close their labors at as early a day as circumstances would 
justify. By the first of October following, every agency was 
closed, every delegate withdrawn, and the affairs of the Commis- 
sion were fully and satisfactorily settled. 



"($1 the '(fj. ,$. (phmstiau (Commission. 99 



Thus the work of the Commission being virtually closed, the 
General Board was called together to receive the report of the 
Executive Committee. This meeting took place on the twenty- 
seventh of November, 1865. The attendance was quite large, and 
the occasion was one of peculiar interest. After proper devotional 
services, and the reading of the minutes, the Chairman of the Ex- 
ecutive Committee made a brief statement, showing that from all 
the departments the delegates had returned, and that the agents 
in charge had closed the work of the Commission, and made their 
final reports. 

The Treasurer made his report, from which it appeared that, 
after discharging every pecuniary obligation, there was still quite 
a balance remaining on hand. 

After considering at some length what disposition should be 
made of this balance, it was finally unanimously referred to the 
Executive Committee, with power to use at their discretion these 
funds for the temporal relief and the spiritual benefit of the sol- 
diers and sailors, together with their families, who have been, or 
may now be, in the service of the United States. 

It was thought that thTs would be the most legitimate and satis- 
factory mode of carrjdng out the wishes and purposes of those 
who had contributed to the Treasury of the Commission. 

There being no other business, the Chairman of the General 
Committee presented the following paper, which, upon being read, 
was unanimously adopted, and ordered to be entered upon the 
minutes of the Committee. A copy was ordered to bs engrossed, 
and signed by the members of the Committee, and to be presented 
to Dr. Nathan Bishop, the Chairman of the Executive Committee. 

" In closing their labors, this General Committee desire to ex- 
press their sincere and affectionate respect for the personal charac- 
ter and their higli appreciation of the long-continued and most 



100 M ftijcmoiiial BcGoi;d of the li ¥. Bipuch 



effective services of the Chairman of the Executive Committco 
of the New-York Branch of the Christian Commission, Nathan 
Bishop, LL.D. 

" With no other reward than a consciousness of endeavoring to 
honor his Divine Master, by serving his country and his fellow- 
men. Dr. Bishop has for more than two years given his time and 
undivided energies in a personal supervision and direction of the 
varied operations of the Committee. To these disinterested and 
engrossing labors, continued day by day, through summer and 
winter, the Commission is deeply indebted for its wise, practical, 
and economical management, and its satisfactory and complete 
success. 

" The members of this Committee feel that it is but right and 
just to acknowledge in this formal and distinct manner their obli- 
gations to one whose devotion and self-sacrificing efibrts have con- 
tributed so much to accomplish the objects for which the Commis- 
sion was organized. 

" To this end the Committee have taken this special action, and 
place it upon their minutes, as a testimony to Dr. Bishop of the 
estimation in which his services are held. 

As the concluding act of the Committee, the following was 
unanimously adopted : 

" Before this Committee finally adjourn, they desire to return 
their sincere thanks to all who, by their contributions of money, 
stores, personal efforts, and their prayers, have enabled the Com- 
mission to accomplish its work of mercy in the army and the navy 
of the United States. 

" They desire, also, as their closing act, to express and place on 
record their deep sense of gratitude to Almighty God for the man- 
ifold tokens of his love and favor toAvard the Commission, in the 
services in which it has been engaged. And especially w^ould they 
reverently acknowledge his great goodness in staying the desola- 
tions of war, in restoring peace to our land, and in preserving and 
strengthening our national Government." 

"From Him alone these blessings have come, and to his great 



fRemoijial Hecoi|6. 101 



name, Fatlier, Son, and Holy Ghost, would Ave ascribe all tlie honor 
and glory of this great salvation." 

In thus bringing the record of the affairs of the Commission to 
a conclusion, the object of this Memorial Volmne is accomplished. 

It may interest those who have been particularly engaged in the 
work of the Commission, and serve to keep alive the recollection 
of the strange yet impressive scenes through which we have been 
passing. 

To some it will awaken mournfnl memories, reminding them of 
the early dead, of homes broken up, of hearts made desolate. To 
others it will bring joy and gladness, as it calls to mind the mer- 
cies of God, and the blessings of a Saviour's grace : while in all 
it will revive the remembrance of the noblest deeds of piety and 
patriotism which this or any other people have ever displayed. 

In future years, the organization and operations of the Christian 
Commission will be regarded as one of the wonderful things con- 
nected with, this most wonderful war. It will stand out as a strik- 
ing yet beautiful illustration of the spirit and power of our holy 
religion, and of the bi'Otherhood of all who believe in and love 
our Lord Jesus Christ, It has been in the highest sense a Ciirist- 
ian Commission, caring for the body and the soul, and dispensing 
blessings temporal and spiritual to all within its reach. In labor- 
ing for those for whom Christ died, it labored for Him, and glori- 
fied his great and holy Name. 



The Treasurer of the New- York Branch of the Christian Commis- 
sion reports the total cash receipts at $307,649.38 ; total cash ex- 
penditures at $282,714.02. The value of the stores received was 
$33,904.10 ; making the aggregate of receipts, 1341,053.54. 



APPE N D I X 



The following- persons received commissions from the New- York 
Branch, and served the Commission for periods of time varying 
from a few weeks to more than two years : 



Abbott, Rev. J. S. 0. 
Abbott, Mr. Waldo. 
Adamson, Rev. W. S. 
Adams, D.D.,Rev. William. 
Andkrson, D.D., Rev. T. D. 
AxGELL, Mr. IT. B. 
Aycrigg, Col. Benjamin. 
Allen, Rev. A. M. 

Booth, D.D., Rev. R. R. 
Bacon, Rev. George B. 
Breckinridge, Rev. John S. 
Browne, Rev. Addison. 
BaFFUM, Rev. J. N. 
Best, Rev. Jacob. 
Bainbridge, Rev. W. F. 
Bennett, Mr. J. P. 
Bayle, Mr. John. 
Barrall, E. Rev. A. 
Barringer, Mr. R. R. 
Boole, Rev. W. II. 
Boone, Mr. William I. 
Brace, Rev. C. L. 
BuRDicK, Rev. H. D. 
Burlingham, D.D., Rev. A. IT. 
Bartow, Rev. H. B. 
Barrett, Rev. C. H. 
Best, Rev. Bvron. 
BOGARDUS, S. T. M. 
Bradshaw, Rev. John. 
BuRKLE, Mr. W. 
BouGUTON, Rev. Peter. 
BuDiNGTON, D.D., Rev. W. I. 
Bryant, Rev. George W. 
BiNSELL, Rev. C. U. 
Crane, Rev. E. N. 
CoREV, Rev. C. n. 



Connelly', Rev. H. 
Cook, Rev. R. S. 
Cowan, Mr. John. 
CoPLiN, Rev. Alanson. 
CooKMAN, D.D., Rev. A 
Corey, Rev. Daniel. 
Crane, Rev. I. 
Charpiot, Rev. G. E. 
Cochran, Rev. A. B. 
Craighead, Rev. J. G. 
Campbell, Mr. A. M. 

Duryea, Rev. J. T. 
DiossY, Rev. R. K. 
DooLiTTLE, Mr. E. D. 
De Forrest, Rev. J. A, 
Dunham, Rev. II. C. 
De Witt, Rev. II. G. 
Downey, Rev. George D. 
Drown, Mr. George P. 
Denison, Rev. A. E. 
Dunn, Rev. Jas. B. 
Dubois, Rev. J. J. 
Dewing, Rev. T. S. 
DiNSMORE, Rev. W. H, 

Emmons, Rev. H. V. 
Evans, Rev. P. S. 
Eustis, Rev. W. T 

Feisbie, Rev. A. L. 
Ferguson, Rev. A. H. 
Francisco, Mr. Joseph. 
Feltwell, Rev. W. V. 
Godfrey, Rev. R. B. 
Garland, Rev. J. M. 
Gladden, Rev. W. 
Ganse, D.D., Rev. H. D. 



j^ppendix— Jlsist of delegates. 



103 



Gably, Rev. James. 
GooDALE, Mr. W. H. 
Geldard, Rev. W. R. 
Graves, Rev. Frederick. 
Gage, Rev. L. L. 
Gammell, Hon. A. M. 

Hammoxh, Rev. J. S. 
Henry, Rev. William M. 
Holmes, Rev. J. M. 
Hammond, Rev. S. M. 
Hayden, Rev. H. C. 
Hesson, Rev. J. 
HowAT, Mr. Wm. 
Haviland, Rev. 0. 
Hawley, Rev. C. W. 
Hitchcock, Rev. 0. B. 
Hyde, Mr. E. G. 
HOYT, Hon. J. B. 
Hall, D.D., Rev. S. H. 
Harpending, Mr. 0. G. . 
Hastings, D.D., Rev. T. S. 

Johnson, Rev. A. P. 
Jacobs, Rev. E. T. 
Jones, M.D., H.C. 
Jamison, Mr. J. 

Kimball, Rev. J. 

La Gronin, Mr. M. G. 
Lo'WELL, Rev. A. S. 
Ladd, Mr. H. 0. 
Lambert, D.D., Rev. A. B. 
LiEBENAU, Rev. M. F. 
Littelle, Rev. D. S. ' 
LouNSBERRY, Rev. H. 
Lathrop, D.I)., Rev. E. 
Lee, Rev. George D. 

Merrifield, Rev. E. P. 
MiNGiNS, Rev. G. J. 
Morris, Rev. H. 
Mott, Mr. S. C. L. 
McFarland, Rev. H. H. 
Murray, Rev. C. D. 
Mitchell, Mr. S. L. 
Metcalf, Mr. E. W. 
Martin, Rev. W. M. 
Michael, Mr. C. L. 
McGiFFEiiTs, Rev. J. M. 
Mattison, Rev. W. C. 
Moses, Rev. T. 
Massey, Rev. J. 
JIcPherson, Rev. T. 
Marvin, Rev. C. S. 
McKenzie, Rev. W. S. 



Norton, Rev. J. I). 
Noble, Rev. C. 

Prince, Rev. I. 
Pool, Rev. G. II. 
Pitcher, Rev. 0. P. 
Peer, Mr. W. 
Prentiss, D.D., Rev. G. L. 
Pearce, Rev. J. 

Rocndy, Mr. C. A. 
Robertson, Rev. W. 
Roe, Rev. E. P. 
Robert, Mr. C. 
Rodman, Rev. W. 
Randall, Mr. J. L. 
Roof, Mr. 0. M. 

Smith, Hon. J. V. C. 
Save, Rev. J. H. 
Swain, Rev. J. S. 
Swain, Rev. M. F. 
Sharp, Rev. C. W. 
Smith, Rev. II. 
Spencer, Rev. D. 
Selleck, Rev. L. 
Sotton, Rev. J. F. 
Stoddard, Rev. E. W. 
Skinner, Mr. B. D. 
Shumway, Rev. G. A. H. 

Taylor, Rev. J. C. 
Taylor, Rev. W. II. 
Thompson, D.D., Rev. J. P. 
Toles, Rev. R. G. 
Taylor, Rev. B. F. 
Tiffany, Rev. C. C. 
Thomas, Rev. W. V. 
TiiACHER, Rev. S. T. 
Tyng, Rev S. H., Jr. 
Tiffany, Rev. W. H. 

Wolfe, Rev. F. B. 
Willing, Rev. M. E. 
Willard, Rev. A. F. 
Weston, D.D., Rev. H. G. 
Wile, Rev. B. F. 
Williams, Rev. R. G. 
Wright, Rev. W. J. 
Walker, Rev. R. H, 
Watson, Rev. L. I). 
Wells, Rev. E. P. 
WniTTiER, Rev. T. 
Walker, Rev. C. B. 
Walker, Mr. A. 
Weed, Rev. E. P. 
WooDWORTH, Rev. H. B. 
^VAI.KER, ilr. E. S. 



Library of Congress 



